


ACE Academy: Endless Sky

by Kupow



Category: ACE Academy (Visual Novel)
Genre: Aokana (4 Rhythm Across the Blue) References, Battle School Tropes, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Gundam references, Mecha, Post-War, Pseudo-History, Pseudoscience, Science Fiction, Sports
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:27:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 75,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24600817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kupow/pseuds/Kupow
Summary: It is the year 2049. A trifecta of discoveries have changed the world into one only previously dreamed of as science fiction. Mobile suits have become the backbone of the military, and their use has become so prevalent that a war game developed for training pilots - Windshear - now draws more viewers than any other sport in the world.Due to a family tragedy, Seiji Maki, a twenty-year old aspiring pilot from New York, transfers to the Isokaze Institute of Armored Combat Engineering, otherwise known as ACE Academy. This is a story about an underdog; a story about a boy meeting a girl.This is a story about fulfilling a dream to capture the endless sky.
Relationships: Protagonist/Misaki Yuuna
Comments: 14
Kudos: 18





	1. The Right Stuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please see italics/start of the actual chapter for the preamble/flavor text that's meant to be in the summary. It's just too long! I got carried away. Thanks for giving this a try. For those unfamiliar with the fandom, ACE Academy is a Pixelfade visual novel. 
> 
> This story has MANY canon deviations.
> 
> Tons of exposition in this first chapter as I'm introducing a few key concepts to the story. Admittedly slow start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitions/Nomenclature
> 
> Casus belli - Cause for war/justification for war  
> MI - (IE, MI-18 Hornet) - Mobile Interceptor  
> MM - Mobile Multirole  
> MA - Mobile Artillery  
> CINY - Cenorobotics Institute of New York  
> Cenorobotics - General term for mobile suit engineering  
> NCAA - National Collegiate Athletic Association  
> Beirut - A city. Also the proper name for beer pong.

_The Three Day War_

_On December 31st, 2033, the United States of America declared war on Canada by means of a surprise attack along the world’s longest unprotected border. Ostensibly, casus belli was Canada’s ongoing negotiations to join a ‘military agreement hostile to American interests, in direct defiance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.’_

_It was certainly true that Canada was in negotiations to become a founding member of the Pacific Rim Defense Alliance (PARDA), a coalition that would have also included Japan, Australia, and the United Republic of Korea. However, America was actually offered a founding position in PARDA when early negotiations began in 2026. The US, under a far-right leaning President, balked when the other founding nations refused to provide the US with unreasonably one-sided trade and defense benefits._

_Furthermore, NATO was for all intents and purposes defunct due to the militarization of the European Union (EU) and formation of the China led Pan-Asian Combine in 2023._

_In reality, America was desperate. The country was bereft of allies after years of geopolitical saber-rattling despite an aging military and waning economic strength. Insistence on continued use of unsustainable technologies created an America rife with pollution and scarcity. The citizens were increasingly divided after years of racist, xenophobic, and anti-intellectual propaganda._

_The US needed resources, infrastructure, and a new enemy to distract its citizens with. Canada was a convenient target that offered all three things. But, they had to strike before the northern country could officially become a founding member of PARDA - once that happened, the Americans would have to face down not only their former ally, but the combined powers of their new allies._

_And so the annexation of Canada began on New Year’s Eve when thousands of soldiers crossed the border with the support of the world’s second-largest air force. At the beginning of the century, the invading forces would have looked invincible. Now, they were hopelessly outdated._

_The war galvanized Korea, Australia, and Japan behind Canada. While Canada’s small Mobile Suit Corps held the massive invasion in a stalemate, PARDA was ratified during an emergency conference call on the first day of the conflict._

_On the second day, the newly minted PARDA arrived in force to reinforce Canadian lines and pushed the Americans back across the 51st parallel._

_PARDA’s counter-offensive began on the third day._

_Within 24 hours, the American government surrendered unconditionally to the allied countries. ‘President for Life’ Thomas Carde was relieved of duty by his own security detail when he made the leap from inciting violence against American citizens to actually ordering it. He attempted to have the military use Asian-Americans as human shields because in his own words, ‘those slanty-eyed monsters from PARDA would NEVER shoot their own’. He was eventually tried and convicted of war crimes against his own citizens._

_PARDA forces were greeted by most of the beleaguered American citizens not as a hostile occupying force, but as liberators who could finally help the once great nation begin the process of healing their environment, economy, and hearts._

>>>

January 2, 2034

Another explosion shook the ground, closer than before. Dust from the rafters showered the family of four huddled together in the cellar that had been reinforced with solid wood beams and scrap metal, converting it into a bomb shelter. Though the construction looked haphazard, it was made with care. The makeshift shelter was surprisingly sturdy, and rightfully so. It was made by an engineer to protect his precious family.

The blonde boy looked up at the ceiling fearfully, his toy mobile suit clutched tightly in his hands.

“Seiji! Seiji, come here. You look after Nikki, and Mama and Papa will look after the two of you, okay?” His mother was crouched in a corner of the shelter with his little sister and father.

“Okay, Mama…” Seiji said, in a quiet voice. Like most five year olds, he couldn’t understand much of what was happening. But he could tell that Mama was sad and afraid. Crying would only make her more sad. He drew himself up; he wanted to be brave for his parents and little sister.

Another explosion shook the shelter; this one was enough to knock Seiji off his feet. Yelping and crying, bravery forgotten, he buried his face against his mother’s sweater.

She held Seiji and his infant sister close; her husband in turn had his arms around her, trying his best to put his body between his family and debris that fell from the ceiling at each rumble.

“James… James, is it really safe to stay here?” The woman asked, her voice nearly breaking.

“It’s the only option we have, Sachiko.” James said, shaking dust and dirt out of his blonde hair. “The last broadcast said that the military’s in full retreat from the border and… and they’re using a scorched earth strategy. They don’t want to leave anything for PARDA. No land, buildings, resources… anything.”

“How… how could they?! Aren’t we Americans too?!” Sachiko hugged her children tighter. Seiji had quieted, but the fear and anger in his gentle mother’s voice scared him more than the explosions.

James looked grim. “They haven’t treated us like citizens in months. We just need to wait here until both our military and PARDA get past, and--

They felt more than heard the next explosion. James threw himself over his family as dirt and debris poured down onto his back.

“It’s going to be okay! Just stay together! Sachiko--”

Another blast; the ceiling of the cellar collapsed entirely, burying the family of four alive. Seiji heard the voices of his family. Mama and Papa’s frantic yells. Nikki’s shrill cries. He couldn’t move - he was pinned down. He couldn’t move.

>>>

March 28, 2049 (Sunday) 

Seiji blearily opened his eyes. He still couldn’t move. After a brief moment of panic, he reoriented himself. He wasn’t in the cellar. He was on a grav-train to Isokaze, a city in Kyushu’s southernmost prefecture of Kagoshima. And he wasn’t pinned down by timber or metal, but instead his snoring teenage sister. She was seated beside him; at some point during the trip she had pushed the armrest up and out of the way so that she could use his shoulder as a pillow.

The blonde half-Japanese boy sighed. Even at the age of twenty, he still had that dream during stressful times. And if moving across an ocean to live with an uncle he hadn’t seen in person for over a decade was anything, it was stressful.

He stared out the window at the passing landscape. They were definitely slowing down. That was probably why Seiji woke up in the first place - having ridden in or piloted mobile suits from an early age, he was sensitive to the subtle sensation of the train’s gravity membrane gradually powering down as they approached their destination. The train quite literally grew heavier, resulting in a steady loss of velocity.

The area around Isokaze was almost idyllic. Even in late March, the temperatures were already hitting the low 20’s. The area surrounding the rail line was green and vibrant; in the distance Seiji could see the dormant volcano Sakurajima shrouded in mist, stained in magenta, red, and orange by the setting sun. However, Isokaze wasn’t a major tourist destination. Seiji grinned in boyish fascination as he saw the reason why: a trio of glistening white MI-18 ‘Hornets’ patrolling near the rail. The sleek machines stood at 15 metres in height; each sported a pair of stubby ‘wings’ that concealed jump jets.

Isokaze was built to support two things: the PARDA military base, and the Isokaze Institute of Armored Combat Engineering, known fondly as ‘ACE Academy’. ACE was a PARDA-affiliated institution. ACE offered three main career tracks - armored combat, engineering, and medical sciences.

While one didn’t need to commit to a military career to enroll, it was the only way to become a mobile suit pilot in any capacity - whether it was law enforcement, military, or as a professional war games pilot. By far, most people in the armored combat track were aiming for the last option, particularly at a prestigious school like ACE. Being a ‘pro’ was the most lucrative and glamorous.

But that wasn’t why Seiji was here. His goal as a pilot was still to join PARDA’s mobile suit corps. And his reason for being in Japan was currently sleeping on his shoulder.

“Hey, Nikki. Wake up. We’re here.”

Nikki yawned suddenly, sitting up and stretching. Her finger poked Seiji’s cheek. He suspected it was intentional. Seiji shoved her hand away; she yawned theatrically and poked him again. Definitely intentional.

Rolling his hazel eyes, he mercilessly tickled his sister’s ribs.

Nikki shrieked and jumped, swatting at his hands. “Jerk! Stop it!”

“Don’t start what you can’t finish, kid.” Seiji grinned.

“Oh, shut up.” Nikki smiled, despite her petulant tone. She looked out the window, gasping at the sunset. “It’s like something out of a fairy tale, Nii-chan. I can’t believe we’re finally here…”

“Mm. Yeah. Seiji stretched as well. “It was a hell of a long trip. It’s amazing to think that less than twenty-four hours ago I was having my last subway churro with my team.”

He reached for his phone, sitting in the seat pocket in front of him. He needed to text his parents to let them know they had reached their destination safely--

His hand froze halfway to his phone. A year and a half later, there were still moments where he forgot that they were gone. He shook it off quickly; he was here for Nikki. He couldn’t break down in front of her. He sat back, giving his sister another smile.

She bit her lip, guilt and brief passing over her fair features. “You know, Nii-chan… You didn’t have to come. You’re not a minor anymore and you were doing well at CINY and… ...well, you didn’t have to come.”

Seiji looked at his sister for a little while. She had been forced to grow up faster than his parents would have liked. Nikki was fairly self-sufficient by now. Moreover, Uncle Kaito seemed happy to have them from their video calls. So she was probably right. Seiji could have stayed in New York. Even so, it hadn’t been a difficult decision for Seiji to make.

“Oh, really? I’ll just head back to New York, then.” He teased.

Nikki pouted.

“Come on, Nikki.” Seiji chuckled. “You know I don’t want to be anywhere else. We have to look out for each other, right?”

Nikki nodded, beaming at him as the train came to a halt. “Right! Come on. Let’s go find Uncle Kaito.”

The two of them exited the train. Truly, the blonde siblings stuck out like sore thumbs, making it easy for their uncle to find them. Within seconds, a bespectacled Japanese man in his early forties approached the two, waving at the two. “Seiji-kun! Nikki-chan! Welcome to Isokaze!”

Seiji bowed politely. “Uncle Kaito, it’s been a while. Thank you for looking after us.”

Nikki bowed as well. “Yes! Thank you for taking us in.”

Kaito Hikari, the late Kyoko Maki’s brother, nodded approvingly. “You two have kept up with your Japanese. But you don’t need to be so formal with me! I know we’ve spoken over video chat, but I still can’t believe how much you’ve grown since I last saw you.”

Kaito paused, giving Seiji and Nikki a thoughtful look. A few metres away, a group of college girls were pointing and stealing glances at Seiji, giggling amongst themselves. And a few metres away in the opposite direction, a few boys from one of the local high schools were performing a double-take at Nikki.

“...Hm. This might be harder than I thought.” Kaito mused.

“What will?” Nikki asked, curiously.

“Nothing!” Kaito laughed. “Come on. I’ve got sushi waiting at home.”

“Great.” Seiji grinned. “Is Aunt Yuki there, too?”

“Oh. Uh… She’s probably going to be working late again. She gets busy enough at the campus hospital that sometimes she has to spend the night in her office.” Kaito said, his smile fading briefly.

Seiji caught the hesitation, but sensed that his uncle wasn’t keen on talking about it. Instead, he smiled hopefully. “So… Food?”

Nikki sighed. “We’d better go, Uncle Kaito. Or he’ll get hangry.”

Kaito laughed. “Come on. The car’s this way.”

>>>

March 31, 2049 (Wednesday) 

Their first few days in Isokaze went by in a flash. First there was getting over the jet lag, followed by the endless errands to ensure that both siblings were ready to start their new lives in Japan. Before they knew it, it was already the night before the first day of the spring term. Tomorrow, Seiji would be starting at ACE and Nikki would be starting at Isokaze Senior High. Seiji finished unpacking his last box. He glanced over at the uniform that was hanging in front of his closet door.

It was showier than he expected - both the pants and blazer were black with white accents. That part wasn’t so bad. But the teal lines contrasted against the black were definitely a bit much. Those, along with the gold buttons and bright red tie, ensured that everyone would know which school he was going to.

 _‘I guess that’s the point, though.’_ Seiji thought, as he tried the uniform on. There was a soft knock at the door as he struggled with the tie.

Nikki poked her head in the door. “Hey, Nii-chan. Still awake? I saw your light on under the door-- Oh. Hey, that looks pretty good on you!” She smirked. “Well. If you could get the tie right.”

Seiji sighed. “Little help?”

“You’re hopeless.” Nikki shook her head. She walked over, tying a neat double-Windsor. “There. Perfect.”

Seiji glanced at his reflection thoughtfully. He loosened the tie slightly and popped the top button, affecting a brilliant smile. “ _Now_ it’s perfect.”

“Gross.” Nikki stuck out her tongue.

Seiji chuckled. “So what’s up? Or did you come by just to make fun of your big brother?”

Nikki crossed her arms, clasping her elbows. “Nothing. I just…”

As she trailed off, Seiji turned to her from the mirror. He was struck by a memory of Nikki just before her first day of elementary school in New York. At the time, both their parents were working late; the only person at home was Seiji. The night before, just like this, she had come to his room - just a ball of anxiety and worries.

He walked over and hugged her. “Hey. I know. I miss home, too. But you’ve got me. And now we have Uncle Kaito and Aunt Yuki, too. We’re going to make this home in no time.”

Nikki squeezed him back briefly. “Yeah… Thanks, Nii-chan. I can tell you’re putting on a brave face, you know? Are _you_ going to be okay?”

Seiji smiled ruefully. “You always see right through me, don’t you?”

“ _Someone_ has to. I’m going to go to bed. You should, too.” Nikki playfully flicked Seiji’s tie. “You actually have to get up early enough to tie a tie this time. You’ll never wake up on time.”

Seiji scoffed. “Watch me. It’ll be a fresh start.”

>>>

April 1, 2049 (Thursday) 

_‘Shit shit shit shit shit!’_ Seiji thought, running for the bus stop. He looked over his shoulder while simultaneously scarfing down the peanut butter toast Nikki had shoved into his mouth. The bus passed him, heading for the stop that was still a block away. _‘My first day going to school in Japan, and I’m already doing the toast cliche!’_

He sprinted the rest of the way, barely getting on in time. The grizzled-looking bus driver chuckled as Seiji fumbled for his student ID.

“It’s fine, kid. You’re wearing the right uniform. Welcome to Isokaze.”

“How’d you know I’m new?” Seiji asked, wondering if it was his looks.

The driver raised his eyebrow, giving Seiji a once-over before casting a friendly smile at the second year. “It’s not the hair and height, before you ask. There’s other international students at ACE. I’ve just been here a _long_ time, son. You look good in the uniform, but you don’t look comfortable in it yet. You’ll get there, though. Take a seat.”

Seiji nodded gratefully, maintaining his balance as the bus started moving. The vehicle was close to capacity, filled mostly by other ACE students. He certainly drew eyes as he walked down the aisle of the bus. While international students weren’t unheard of, he was still the only tall blonde on the bus. Eventually, he found an empty seat - beside a girl.

She was unusual for a few reasons. First, she seemed to be the only one who _wasn’t_ staring at him curiously. Instead, she stared out the window, seemingly lost in her thoughts. Her expression seemed wistful - sad, even. Secondly… Secondly, she was _stunning_. She had long magenta hair, down to her waist, with sideswept bangs that were just verging on getting in the way of her bright blue eyes. Perfectly pale skin. Seiji had no idea how she was sitting alone, but he quickly decided to remedy that.

“Excuse me? Do you mind if I sit here?” He flashed a charming grin at her.

She turned, startling slightly at his voice. When she looked up at him, her eyes widened; she blushed faintly. “...Er, no. I don't mind. Please.” She nodded at the empty seat.

Seiji sat down. He kept stealing glances at her, though. She seemed intent on getting lost in her own thoughts again. At least, until she caught him looking.

“You know, it’s rude to stare.” She said, with a weary voice. For such a young, pretty girl, she suddenly seemed older than her years.

“Ah… Sorry.” Seiji rifled through his brain to think of an excuse other than ‘you’re cute, and I’d like to get to know you’. With the look on her face, he doubted even he could pull that one off. He glanced quickly at her sleeve. “I was wondering why your uniform doesn’t have the same stripes as mine? I just transferred here. I’m in my second year.”

She blinked. Her tired expression was replaced by relief, strangely enough. “Oh! I’m in second year, too. The stripes mean you’re on the armored combat track. They mean you’re a pilot… You transferred into ACE’s pilot program? That must have been difficult. It’s quite competitive.”

“It was, but I worked hard.” Seiji said, earnestly. That earned a smile from her. “I’m Seiji Maki. I transferred from CINY in New York.”

The girl nodded politely. “Yuuna Misaki. Nice to meet you, Maki-san. New York is a long way from here.”

“It is, but I’m happy to get started. ACE is one of the top schools in PARDA.”

“I’m sure you’ll love it here.” Yuuna said. The two made small talk on the way, with Yuuna indicating various points of interest visible from the bus’ route.

After a trip that felt entirely too short to the transfer student, the bus arrived at ACE. It was a beautiful campus - but a _huge_ one. He frowned, glancing at his phone. _‘Now, where the hell was I supposed to go again…?’_

Yuuna paused beside him. “Can I help you find something, Maki-san?”

“Hm? Ah, yeah. Can you point me towards the parking office?” Seiji asked.

“I can do better than that. Come on, it’s this way.” Yuuna took him to the office. After an entertaining encounter with the administrator in charge of issuing passes, the two left. Yuuna shook her head, glancing at the pass that Seiji slipped into his bag.

“That’s impressive, Maki-san. Usually people wait _weeks_ to get that. Though, usually people don’t flirt relentlessly to get one.” Yuuna looked curiously at Seiji. “Were you actually… _interested_ in him?”

“No. I like girls.” Seiji said, shrugging. He smiled slightly as he met Yuuna’s eyes. “Were you jealous?”

It took some effort to keep his own expression under control as a slight blush spread across her cheeks. She was _really_ cute _._ He continued smoothly.

“But I was just stalling for time. Before we walked up to the counter, he had eBay open on his computer. He was waiting to snipe an auction and wanted to get rid of me. Just had to stick around long enough for him to cave and give me a pass.”

Yuuna laughed. “Clever.”

“Lucky, too. Speaking of which - can we compare schedules? It’d be nice if I knew at least one person in one of my classes.” Seiji said.

“Sure!” She took out her phone, comparing schedules to Seiji. “It looks like we’re both in Pilot Health and Physiotherapy on Friday.”

Her phone chimed with a text message. Seiji thought he saw a frown cross her face briefly as she quickly swiped it away before looking back up at him with a smile.

“So, looks like I’ll see you there, Maki-san. Are you fine from here?”

“Ah. Yeah.” Seiji smiled at her, deciding to take the chance. “Can I get your phone number?”

Yuuna blinked. Her cheeks coloured again, deeper than before. He got the sense that the pretty girl was easy to fluster, but even he was taken aback by how fetching the colour on her cheeks was, how wide her doe eyes could get.

“...In case I get lost again.” Seiji continued.

“Oh! Of course, Maki-san.”

They exchanged contact information and parted ways. Seiji smiled happily. His first day was going pretty well. A parking pass for his motorcycle and a phone number from a girl. He glanced at his phone. He wasn’t a big believer in the three-day rule, but three minutes was probably pushing it. Especially when he had to get to class. Class that was due to start in a minute.

_‘...Crap!’_

>>>

Seiji crept into the back of the lecture hall, around ten minutes late for his first class of the spring term. At CINY, he would have been safer. Class sizes were smaller at ACE, even in this 100 level course on PARDA’s history. But he was almost safely at the back row, just about to sit down. The lecturer was looking down, marking something on his tablet.

_‘Nice. Looks like we haven’t even started yet.’_

“And you must be Seiji Maki-san, then. The _brilliant_ American pilot who successfully transferred into our institution. Thank you for deigning to attend today. As you just missed hearing, my name is Nobuyuki Saito, professor of history at ACE.” The man peered at Seiji through rimless glasses; he had close cropped grey hair and a heavyset body.

 _‘Shit.’_ Seiji immediately recognized the type of man Saito was. His first clue was the sympathetic looks he received from his classmates. But the most telling thing was his derisive smile. It was clear that he intended to make Seiji an example. Possibly because he was late, but the level of animosity he was sensing seemed a bit much for that.

Saito made a show of checking the student register, reading off his tablet.

“Ah. Honours student at CINY and starter for CINY Liquid, your school’s top mobile suit squadron. And a second year, technically. Obviously, this must be some mistake? Why are attending this _first year_ course?” He asked, in mock surprise. “Did you _fail_ history at CINY? Understandable. Recent American history is somewhat… forgettable.”

Seiji maintained a stiff upper lip. So his background was probably part of it, too. He kept silent, knowing that Saito was likely waiting for a reason to make his life hard.

Saito raised an eyebrow. “Well? I asked you a question, Maki-san.”

Apparently, silence was reason enough. Seiji stood up to answer the question.

“We did not have an equivalent credit at my old school, sir. So when I transferred to ACE, I was automatically enrolled in this class. At CINY, we were taught history as part of a few different courses.” It rankled Seiji to be polite to the man, but he had all of _one_ friend on campus. His aunt was in the medical department here, but he hadn’t even seen her yet. So he apologized. “And I apologize for being late.”

“No need to apologize. Though if you’re feeling contrite, then perhaps you would like to use some of your second year wisdom to educate us. What are widely considered the ‘Holy Trinity’ of PARDA technologies, and why?” Saito crossed his arms; he didn’t bother to hide his predatory smile as he put Seiji on the spot.

“First, the gravity membrane generator—“

“Do you care to explain why that _colloquial_ name is a misnomer?”

Seiji grit his teeth. “Yessir. Made possible by the discovery of the Higgs-Boson particle, it allows us to manipulate the mass of an object so long as the membrane is active. It doesn’t affect gravity _per se_ , but with a given force, we can drastically improve acceleration and reduce the forces needed to fly. It’s how mobile suits can be so agile despite being so large.”

Seiji paused for another interruption; instead, Saito waved for him to continue.

“The second key technology is the tritium fusion reactor. While bulky, it provides reliable and clean energy.” Seiji said. “And last, the Neural-Adaptive Interface, or NAI. It was designed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2035, a year after being rebuilt by PARDA. It revolutionized the mobile suit OS by allowing faster pilot response times and improved spatial awareness--”

“ _Actually,_ most people would call the Hyper-dense H-Cell battery the third key technology responsible for PARDA’s success, Maki-san. Though I suppose it’s understandable that an _American_ is desperate to show off a little to the ‘lowly Japs’ as your government used to say. It’s amazing how despite being humbled, Americans still haven’t changed much. Still eager to show off what little they’ve accomplished, even though it’s merely riding the coattails of PARDA. Really, you’d think after the war, they’d…”

_‘Well. He hates me anyway…’_

“Sir, that tablet you’re using. Isn’t that Midori?” Seiji asked, interrupting Saito’s tirade.

“Yes. A good _Japanese_ company.” Saito scoffed.

“Were you aware that as of this year, Midori adapted NAI to all of its products?” Seiji managed to keep his expression neutral. “Including educational software.”

“...Excuse me?” Saito frowned.

“If you check your tablet sir, it’s probably already providing you with information regarding the Three Day War. The NAI in most mobile suits operates by anticipating a pilot’s intentions and facilitating their chosen actions ahead of time. For example, if I’m thinking about shooting down a target above me, the NAI’s already priming the appropriate weapons and vectors before I even touch the controls.” Seiji said. “It’s partly based on your own combat data, as well. Though for the educational line, it’ll be based more on your own habits in lecture. I expect that by now, the tablet is also providing you with resources on how to avoid being reported for racist and inflammatory behavior.”

Saito glanced at his tablet. He turned red, slamming it down on his lectern. “It’s… it’s showing _nothing_ of the sort! And is that a threat?!”

“No sir. I’m simply stating that the tablet isn’t the only thing taking up residence in your head.” Seiji replied, with a polite smile.

“Isn’t the only thing… ...Just… just _sit down!”_

“Yes, sir.”

>>>

At the end of the day, Seiji headed towards the complex of hangars for students who owned a personal mobile suit. Having your own machine wasn’t a requirement to enroll in ACE - in fact, students who did were in the minority. After graduating, whether you owned a suit or not you were virtually guaranteed to be employed in law enforcement or the military.

But it was a fact that having your own suit meant you were more likely to be able to join in the collegiate war games leagues, owing to the ability to tune and modify your machine to better suit your team strategy. And it was also a fact that the only people who went on to become a pro war games pilot were those who did well in the college leagues.

So, as Seiji approached the hangar where pilots who owned suits but were as of yet unassigned to a team, he was unsurprised by the activity around it.

“Hey! Hey, transfer student! You have your own suit?! Wanna join us?!” An enthusiastic first-year shoved his tablet in Seiji’s face. “Just sign here! We already have two members!”

Seiji shook his head. “I’m fine, thanks. I should check on my machine first before I commit to anything--”

“Come on! Just for now, then.” He said. He was immediately joined by several others. The would-be recruiters started to fight amongst themselves, each trying to talk over the other.

Seiji grimaced, pushing past as he and other new arrivals - mostly first years - were harassed. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to join a team. But he saw the same sort of behavior at CINY and knew that the best teams didn’t recruit like this. Potential pilots went to _them_ , not the other way around. He sighed, looking for and finding his personal mobile suit - Gladius. The blonde pilot smiled faintly at the name and technical readout that glowed on the console at the foot of the 15 metre armored frame.

Gladius appeared more battle-worn compared to the other Japanese mobile suits around it. Its design was also unusual, looking like it was modeled after a Roman legionary complete with a crested ‘helm’ over its single visor-shaped optic. A round shield was mounted to the left shoulder, and twin jump jets were attached to the back, each decorated with a stubby stabilizer fin. It looked fit for battle, but certainly different from the sleek Japanese models around it. Nearby students gawked and whispered as Seiji stopped in front of the suit.

Seiji pressed his thumb to the touchscreen. It chimed; a ‘pilot’s hook’, basically a stirrup at the end of a sturdy cable, lowered down from the open hatch of Gladius. Seiji set his foot inside the stirrup and gripped the cable; it carried him up to the cockpit in the torso, where he climbed in. Everything appeared to be in order, right down to the photo of his family taped to the center console. They were at an amusement park, all smiling.

He remembered that day. It was only months before his parents were killed by a drunk driver. He and Nikki had actually been fighting, but they made up in time for the photograph.

 _‘How long are you two going to fight for?’_ His mother had asked. She smiled at them. _‘Days like this don’t come by often, you know? One day, you’ll miss times like this…’_

The photograph, and Gladius’ cockpit itself, made him feel like he was a child again. He built the suit with his father, after all. There were so many times where they’d be working together on the machine - Seiji inside, James outside, or vice versa. Seiji started to feel like if he waited enough, he might see the blonde man poke his head in, grinning with some silly joke or to check on progress, or to sheepishly remind Seiji that they should probably _eat_ , because Seiji’s mother just reminded them they were already half an hour late for dinner…

It was a little while before Seiji was composed enough to take the hook back down to ground level. He blinked in surprise as the crowd of recruiters seemed to melt away from him - except for one young man in his ACE pilot’s uniform. He was tall for a Japanese guy, but still a couple inches shorter than Seiji. His brown hair was just down to his shoulders, and his eyes were bright, focused on Gladius.

“...Yep! That’s a special one.” He said, smiling at the custom mobile suit.

Seiji raised his eyebrow. “Apparently, we’re the only two who think that way. Hi. I’m Seiji Maki, the pilot of Gladius.”

The other man blinked. Evidently the guy was just talking to himself earlier, when he commented on Gladius. “Oh! Hi. Shou Shinjirou. I pilot Asura over there.” He pointed to a modern Japanese mobile suit in white and mantis-green. “And I wouldn’t worry about everyone thinking your machine’s crap.”

“...Hey.”

“I can tell that your Gladius here is something special. A real labor of love. Even though it’s woefully under-armored…”

“ _Hey_.” Seiji frowned, starting to feel insulted. “It’s to reduce the weight. Besides, I don’t get hit that often.”

“I mean, it’s probably why everyone took off when they saw you leave. Nobody wants to recruit that kinda mobile suit to their team.” Shou said, nodding without a hint of maliciousness. He seemed entirely oblivious to Seiji’s growing irritation. “But we don’t discriminate!”

He suddenly grabbed and started to vigorously shake Seiji’s hand. “You’re new here, aren’t you?! Looking for a team!?”

“Well, yes, but--”

“Great! You’re in!” Shou started dragging Seiji out of the hangar.

“Hold on a second! I didn’t ask-- Which team are you even part of?!” Seiji said, trying to wrestle free. Shou was _strong_. Or at least, determined.

“Hm? Oh, well we aren’t an _official_ team yet! But with you, we’d have a full squadron! We’d be good to go! And you’d even be a starter in your first year! Amazing, right?!”

“I’m in second year!”

“Even better! No need to be shy. You seem great. Come on, let me introduce you to the others! They’re two cute girls. Well, _one_ cute girl. You’ll see.”

>>>

“Hey, hey, hey! Look! I’ve got our fourth pilot!” Shou crowed as he dragged Seiji across the pilot’s lounge. He came to a stop in front of two girls. One of them looked mortified at Shou’s shouting; the other seemed to be annoyed already.

Shou grinned, either oblivious or uncaring. “Come on, bro! Introduce yourself!”

“Hey there. Seiji Maki, a second year transfer out of CINY in the US.” Seiji said, deciding to at least hear them out. It looked like this team would be his only option anyway - if the ‘actively recruiting’ teams didn’t want him, he probably had little to no chance for any of the top ones.

“Kaori Itami. Skirmisher.” The annoyed girl said, still frowning. She was the shortest of the three, but somehow seemed to have the most formidable presence. She almost glared at Seiji with her reddish hued eyes. She tossed her orange hair, irritatedly pulling on her own ponytail. “What’s your combat experience? Suit specs?”

“I just made it as a starter for CINY Liquid in the NCAA before my first year ended.” Seiji said. “And my suit’s _fine_.”

He gave Shou a brief look. The brunette didn’t seem to notice, instead indicating the taller girl with pixie cut blue hair and amber eyes.

“And that’s Mayu Akemi.”

Mayu edged a little behind Kaori as she looked at Seiji. She blushed faintly as she spoke, barely audible. “Nice to meet you. I’m the team’s marksman; I’m in my first year.”

Shou grinned, pointing at himself with his thumbs. “And I’m your vanguard! Welcome to Team SHOUtime—ow!”

Kaori’s eye twitched as she punched Shou’s shoulder. “For the last time, we’re _not_ calling ourselves that.”

“So what _is_ our name?” Seiji asked. He raised an eyebrow as the three students exchanged awkward glances.

“We uh, don’t have one yet.” Shou said.

“For now, we’re ACE 2049-11.” Kaori said. “We’ll figure out something different if we qualify.”

“Right.” Seiji blinked. “Wait. _If_ we qualify?”

Shou grinned nervously, finally showing that he could read the atmosphere a little. “Uh… technically because we’re a new team, we have to qualify. And if we fail, we don’t get to join the All Japan Intercollegiate League… But hey! We’ll totally get in. This year, there’s only twelve returning teams, so that means four open slots! The hopeful teams play a round robin to get in, and the top four take it.”

“How many teams are trying to get in?” Seiji asked.

“Eight.” Shou replied, gauging Seiji’s reaction.

Seiji nodded. “That should be fine, then. From what I saw in the hangar, there aren’t enough unassigned suits to fill out eight entire squads. We just need to be in the top four, right? When can we start practicing?”

Kaori briefly looked at Seiji with surprised approval before crossing her arms and going back to staring him down (a remarkable feat, given that she had to look _up_ at him). “Not today, unfortunately. We can start tomorrow. I’ll need your phone number.”

“That’s nice for me. I’ll finish the day with the number of more than one pretty girl, then.” Seiji flashed his most charming smile.

Kaori rolled her eyes; Mayu averted her eyes and blushed brightly.

“Just give me your number, hotshot. I’ll text you with the time. We’ll meet up here.”

>>>

Seiji stepped off the bus as it let him off near his uncle’s - rather, near _his_ \- home. He pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath. He tended to get motion sick when he wasn’t the one driving. He was only able to tolerate the bus ride to ACE in the morning due to Yuuna’s welcome distraction. Unfortunately she wasn’t around for the trip back.

The door to the house automatically slid open as he approached. It looked like Kaito already added the Maki siblings to the house’s biometric scanner.

 _‘I’ll really need to figure out how to repay him,’_ Seiji thought. _‘He’s doing so much for me and Nikki…’_

As he took his shoes off, his phone chimed.

**YM: Maki-san? Did you find your way around alright? I didn’t see you on the bus home**

**SM: I did. Thanks for checking up on me, Misaki-san. And thanks for your help earlier.**

**YM: No problem! See you in class!**

Seiji’s phone pinged with a chibi version of Yuuna herself in her ACE uniform, giving a thumbs up. He grinned. Even her texts were cute.

“I know that stupid grin.” Nikki said, looking over at Seiji from the kitchen. “You met a girl. And you _like_ her already.”

“Oh, shut up.” Seiji replied reflexively, though he smiled at having been caught. He looked at his sister; she was still in her uniform, though her sleeves were rolled up and she had donned an apron.

Nikki laughed. “I think it’s great, Nii-chan. What’s she like? What’s her name?”

“She’s just a friend, Nikki. Her name’s Yuuna Misaki. She helped me get a parking pass and showed me around campus a bit.” Seiji said.

“Pretty name.” Nikki teased. “Pretty girl, too, judging by the look on your face. I’m glad. I hope this means you’re finally over--”

“--More importantly, what’s for dinner?” Seiji’s smile remained, but he couldn’t help a certain hard edge to his voice. That relationship ended a year ago, but he still didn’t like to talk about it.

Nikki frowned, giving her older brother a look usually reserved for older sisters or mothers.

“...Sorry.” Seiji mumbled, chagrined. He walked over to the kitchen, taking a seat at the island. “Seriously, though. It smells great. Is that your famous carbonara?”

“Maybe.” Nikki replied, grinning impishly. “Whether it becomes the carbonara you love so much or not depends on whether or not you can give your favorite little sister a ride to school tomorrow? Since you have your parking pass.”

“Sure. Do you know when she’ll be up? And since when did I have another sister?”

“Hmph.” Nikki turned the stove off and started to take off her apron.

“Okay, okay!” Seiji raised his hands. “Happy to take you there. But won’t you be embarrassed about your older brother dropping you off?”

“Not if he drops me off from his awesome bike while wearing his ACE uniform.” Nikki said, shrugging. “All everyone talks about at school is ACE and the AJI League. That reminds me. Did you find a Windshear team?”

Windshear was the name of the mobile suit war game that was played by both the NCAA and AJI. While straight up combat and races had some appeal, it was the unique combination of combat, racing, and capture-the-flag that was most popular.

“I did, barely.” Seiji sighed. “Mostly because they were desperate. Every other team took one look at Gladius and ran the other direction.”

Nikki frowned. “That’s mean. You and Daddy put a lot of work into Gladius.”

“I know. But they don’t see that work.” Seiji shrugged. “All they see is the machine. And the reality is, Gladius’ specs aren’t as good as a well-maintained Japanese suit. I’d need to upgrade a bunch of parts, and even then, Gladius doesn’t really fit the current meta.”

“Meta?”

“The ‘trendy’ strategy in league competition. Right now, most serious PARDA teams operate around either a marksman type or artillery type suit. Everyone else is just support or close range defense for the big gun.” Seiji said. “We didn’t play that way in the NCAA.”

Nikki nodded. “I remember that. You and the other pilots always seemed to do whatever you wanted.”

“No… There was a strategy to it.” Seiji said. “But it’s true that it was way more chaotic. We didn’t have the same access to top of the line technology back home, so long range targeting and weaponry wasn’t as reliable. And because we couldn’t get access to as many sponsors in the US, we ended up having to be more creative with tuning and modifications. So we ended up getting some pretty wild strategies, even though the rules are the same.”

“So isn’t that better?” Nikki asked. “I mean, to be creative?”

“Maybe. All the creativity in the world didn’t stop us from getting beaten by Canadian teams when we were fighting to be the North American representative for the Pan-PARDA Games, though.” Seiji frowned at the memory as he stared down at the marble top of the island. He and the rest of CINY pushed the team from Vancouver to the brink, but at the end of the day still lost to the superior firepower and armor of the better-equipped squadron.

He blinked as a bowl of steaming pasta entered his vision. He looked up; Nikki beamed at him.

“Cheer up, Nii-chan. Now that we’re in Japan, I’m sure things will be different!”

“Thanks, Nikki. Shouldn’t we wait for Uncle Kaito?”

“Says the guy already sticking a fork into the pasta.” NIkki giggled. “But no, don’t worry about it. He called to say he’s going to work late. And so is Aunt Yuki, apparently. Did you see her at school, by the way?”

Seiji shook his head. “Not at all. She works in the campus hospital, so I won’t have much reason to see her.”

“It’s a bit weird that neither of us have seen her yet.” Nikki mused, portioning out her own pasta.

“A bit. I get the feeling that Uncle Kaito doesn’t want to talk about it, though.”

“Me too.” Nikki sighed. “Anyway. I need you to be scarce on Saturday, by the way.”

“Boyfriend _already_?” Seiji frowned. “I need to vet him, you know.”

“You _don’t_. And no. Just friends I met in class. So don’t come downstairs half-asleep and half-naked like you usually do on weekends.” Nikki grumbled.

“Please. I don’t feel _that_ comfortable here yet. What do you take me for?”

>>>

April 2, 2049 (Friday) 

Seiji walked into his first class of the day - Pilot Health and Physiotherapy. On time, thanks to his motorcycle.

He was glad he had it shipped over from the US; the ride to school had done wonders for some of the lingering homesickness he felt. And Nikki seemed to be pretty happy about it, too. At least, she was happy about getting to show off by arriving at school on the back of a bike. He spotted a familiar face in the front row of the lecture hall.

“Good morning, Misaki-san. Is anyone sitting here?” Seiji asked.

“?! Oh! Good morning! Er… I suppose not. Please, Maki-san. Go ahead.” Yuuna was startled out of her own world again. It seemed like the magenta-haired girl had a tendency to sit alone and zone out. She gave Seiji a friendly smile. “How have things been for you so far?”

“Pretty good, I think.” Seiji took out his tablet to get ready for class. “I managed to find a Windshear team that was desperate enough to recruit me.”

“Desperate? I’m sure you’re selling yourself short.” Yuuna said.

“I wish.” Seiji shrugged. “My suit’s American, so it’s a bit outdated compared to the latest Japanese models. That scared off a few potential suitors right off the bat - including a few that harassed me all the way to Gladius in the first place. It was actually pretty amazing how fast they disappeared after they found out about my mobile suit.”

“I’m not terribly surprised, Maki-san.” Yuuna sighed, her expression darkening. “People who play Windshear competitively in the AJI here will stop at nothing to win. You can be one of the starters on the top team here and still live in fear of losing your spot at the drop of a hat. It creates a lot of stress on the pilots. ...Ah, not that I’m a pilot myself or anything.”

She looked flustered, as if she had said more than she intended.

Seiji looked at Yuuna curiously. Despite what she said, it really did sound like she was speaking from personal experience. It was hardly the time to press, though. And while they were getting along, they only met yesterday.

“No, you’re right, Misaki-san.” Seiji said. “It was the same in the NCAA. Anyway, looks like class is about to start.”

“Mm. It is… And thanks, Maki-san.”

“For what?”

“For not asking.” Yuuna said, simply. She smiled at Seiji.

The lecturer arrived. She was a pretty woman with long chestnut hair and violet eyes. She was dressed professionally in a white lab coat over a royal blue blouse and black business skirt. To Seiji, she looked vaguely familiar. She slid on a pair of rimless glasses, peering up at the class with a polite smile.

“Good morning, everyone. Welcome to PHPT 200. I’m not Tanaka-sensei, unfortunately. She’s taken a leave of absence, so I’ll be filling in. I’m Yuki Hikari. I’m one of the physicians over in the campus hospital.”

Seiji blinked. “Aunt Yuki…?” _That_ was why she was familiar.

Yuuna glanced at Seiji, whispering. “You know Hikari-sensei?”

“I think she’s my aunt?” Seiji frowned, watching as Yuki started introducing the course to the class. “It’s been a long time. And something’s off. I don’t remember her being so formal--”

“Oh my _God_ , is that you, Seiji-chan?!” The physician _squealed_.

Yuki bounded over to Seiji’s seat in the front row, hauling him out of his seat and into an enthusiastic hug. All formality was gone. “How long has it been since we’ve seen each other in person!? I think you were ten years old! You’ve become so _handsome!_ Why aren’t you saying anything to your Auntie, hm?!”

“Mmpph!” Seiji’s face was currently muffled against that royal blue blouse. And the ample chest under the fabric.

“Oops.” Yuki laughed, letting go of Seiji. She let him straighten up; she smoothed out his blazer as she inspected him at arms’ length. “You’re so _tall_ now, too. I’ll bet Nikki-chan’s _super_ cute now, too. Oh! But we should catch up after class.”

Yuki returned to her lectern as if she hadn’t just bear-hugged her nephew. The class murmured and laughed; some of the men shot Seiji jealous looks.

Seiji fell back into his seat, staring at her open-mouthed in shock. He looked over at Yuuna.

“So you two are uh… pretty _close_.” Yuuna said.

“It’s nothing like that!” Seiji hissed, his face still hot.

Yuki coughed loudly to silence the class. “Anyways. As I was saying, welcome to PHPT 200. This is a survey course about the unique health challenges faced by mobile suit pilots. Now, last year, we received some feedback that PHPT 200 requires a little too much background knowledge about Windshear. Some students felt they were being penalized for not being fans of the game. Fortunately, I see we have an expert here in class today. Tseng-san, can you please tell us about the basics of the game?”

A good-looking Chinese boy stood up, his black hair obscuring one of his grey eyes. Seiji glanced at Yuuna.

“Jian Tseng.” Yuuna whispered. “He’s an exchange student from the PAC and one of the second-year pilots on Reborn, the top team at ACE.”

Jian spoke in nearly perfect Japanese. “Windshear is a combination of capture the flag, racing, and four on four squadron combat. A team can win a set in two ways. Either they score the most points by touching the beacons arranged around the battlefield before time’s up, or they eliminate every member of the opposing team. In the situation where both teams have four players down, whoever has the most points wins.”

“That’s correct.” Yuki said, smiling. “Of course, ‘eliminate’ means to power down a player’s mobile suit. All weapons used in war games are designed to closely replicate real weaponry with clever use of pyrotechnics, light effects, and a corresponding energy drain of a mobile suit proportionate to the strength of the ‘hit’.”

She manipulated her tablet, bringing up schematic diagrams of the playing field along with example videos.

“Beacons must be touched in order. Both teams start the game at beacon one; no combat can happen until beacon two is contacted. Usually, when it becomes clear that one team is going to claim the beacon, the other team aborts the race to instead set up an ambush between the second and third. In the event that _both teams_ decide to abandon the race to first, then the point gets awarded to whoever was the closest at the time where both teams leave the lane and combat may be initiated.”

Yuki pointed at the second diagram.

“The moment the teams have two players that cross paths, there are several possible outcomes: a skirmish between second and third that leads to one team being eliminated, one of the teams electing to make a break for third, or one of the teams choosing to abandon the third beacon to set up another confrontation between third and fourth.”

A student raised his hand. “Ah, Hikari-sensei? I don’t watch Windshear much, but it seems to me that a team could gain a pretty big advantage by having three of their members skip ahead while leaving one member in the beacon race? They could still snag the point from the beacon but then have an ambush waiting.”

Yuki nodded. “That’s certainly true. But let’s say three members are sent ahead from one squadron, while all four remain in the race for the other. The _moment_ the first beacon is touched by either team, then that means there’s suddenly a four on one situation at the area around beacon one. Or alternatively, what if all four members of the other team then abandon the race? Then it’s a four on three between one and two. Or what if the other team hedges their bets and splits up their team into pairs, so that they outnumber the other team at beacon one and are only down one player between one and two? What would your strategy be, Seta-san? Bear in mind, carelessly losing one teammate is 25% of your combat power.”

The student blinked. “Uh. Well… Uhm…”

Yuki chuckled. “That’s exactly the correct reaction. The creator of Windshear designed the game this way to force mobile suit pilots into situations where they’d have to take decisive action in a fluid situation. Moreover, they also have to keep an eye on their squadmates, _and_ they need to not only fight off enemy troops, but also track an objective.”

The doctor brought up a video of a Windshear game, demonstrating an intense four on four battle between mobile suit squadrons. In the confusion, one suit abruptly pulled away, touching beacon two and scoring a point - only to be shot down by the other team’s ‘long range’ member. Down one member, the team that tried to ‘break the blockade’ quickly lost.

“Based on pilot combat data, some experts have noted that the stress people feel during intense Windshear games closely resembles that of real battle. This is a double-edged sword.” Yuki said. “Obviously, this is valuable from a combat training perspective. But it also means that we can’t dismiss pilot health issues because it isn’t ‘real’ combat.”

Seiji glanced at Yuuna; she seemed mildly uncomfortable.

Yuki continued. “Even Windshear can have devastating consequences on the well-being of our mobile suit pilots.”

>>>

“Maki! The hell are you doing?!” Kaori’s perpetually irritated voice sounded out over the comm; her face appeared on his HUD. Seiji was in Gladius, at ACE 2049-11’s first training session. They were each in their mobile suits at one of the designed battlegrounds around ACE. This one was a small archipelago just off the coast from Isokaze.

Seiji startled; he was feeling a bit preoccupied. After PHPT was over, Yuuna had left in a bit of a hurry. She had smiled at him, but that seemed more like a mask than anything else. “Oh! Sorry. Did Shinjirou get here, then?”

“Shinjirou’s my dad, bro. Call me Shou. ...Hey, actually, why don’t we all go by first names? I mean, we’re supposed to be a team, right?” Shou said, also appearing on the comm.

“Sure. Shou, Kaori, and Mayu, then.” Seiji said, easily. After growing up in the US, it was actually harder for him to remember to address people by their surnames, anyway.

Mayu made a sound that sounded like a squeak. Seiji stifled his laugh. Mayu was the team’s sniper - usually that meant she’d be the best pilot, too. But she seemed shockingly shy for that role.

“Anyway, Mak-- er, _Seiji_. We never got around to talking about what role you played with your old team.” Kaori said. “Your loadout is mostly melee and short range, isn’t it?”

“Oh. That means you’re a skirmisher like Kaori, doesn’t it?” Shou asked.

Seiji shook his head. “I played mostly as a blockade runner.”

There was a stunned silence from the rest of the group for a few seconds before they all started talking at the same time.

“Are you serious?!” Kaori shouted.

“I was wondering why your mobile suit is so lightly armored…” Mayu added.

Shou shook his head, his normally bright attitude fading a bit. “ _Bro_ …”

Seiji sighed as the rest of the team started to discuss what to do with him. He couldn’t blame them. As he discussed with Nikki, his playstyle wasn’t particularly popular outside of the States.

“...could maybe use him as a distraction? I mean, he’ll get shot down pretty fast, but…”

“...of all the people you found for us, Shou, seriously…”

“Er… Ma--Sei--...Seiji- _san_ is listening to all of this. Maybe we should…”

Seiji couldn’t blame them, but he still had his pride. He barked into his comm. “How about instead of you guys speculating on what I can do, I just _show_ you? Go and wait for me between second and third. Set up your blockade however you want.”

“Bro, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. Mayu’s a great shot, and me and Kaori aren’t slouches either. We--”

“It’s fine, Shou. He’s right. We need to see what he’s made of, and he needs to see that we’re serious, too.” Kaori said. She actually smiled, for once - a confident grin. It seemed like she thought this would be over fast.

Seiji watched as the three of them peeled off and headed to the ‘lane’ between the second and third beacons, glancing briefly at the technical information he had on each of his teammates. Shou was in his MM-10A ‘Asura’, a medium range model that relied mainly on two forearm mounted 76mm machine guns, backed up by short range seeker missiles launched from retractable shoulder pods. Kaori piloted an MI-54 ‘Aura’, a scarlet mobile suit that looked like a feminine samurai. Appropriately, its loadout was mostly melee, with a massive ‘anti-ship’ _nodachi_ that was not only physically sharp, but also emitted a beam edge for both energy and physical damage. And finally, Mayu was the biggest threat in her MA-27 ‘Deep Sky’. Of the three of them, her machine seemed to be the most slender and sleek, but carried a disproportionately long rifle. Seiji immediately recognized it as an Avalon Arms LN-90 ‘Impulse’ rail cannon. Sniper rifle was an understatement - the thing had a ridiculous range, capable of covering almost the entire distance between the beacons.

It was no wonder Kaori was confident. She probably thought that Mayu would shoot Seiji down the moment he touched the first beacon.

Seiji smiled grimly. Being underestimated suited him just fine.

>>>

Mayu watched as Ember and Asura took up defensive positions in front of her. Like most Windshear teams, her long-range gun was the mainstay of their team’s offense. She also felt confident that she could take Seiji down before he could even really begin his approach to their position. There was a reason why high level Windshear players rarely took on the role of ‘blockade runners’. In the current meta, long range offense had outstripped the mobility of even the most nimble mobile suits. While gravity membrane generators and ultra-compact H-cells meant that suits could be extremely fast, sustained flight and erratic maneuvering were still quite draining on both the pilot as well as power reserves. It meant that eventually, calm and collected long range fire would win out.

But, Mayu was cautious by nature. Outside of Deep Sky it made her shy. In her machine - in her element - Mayu’s caution made her an observant, skilled pilot. There was something interesting in the way that Seiji moved for the beacon. He was fast, but his movements were incredibly efficient. For most mobile suits, ‘flight’ was actually just a series of long hops aided by jump jets. Seiji’s touches on the ground were minimal and brief, and he didn’t lose speed on any of them.

The beacon chimed as Gladius’ hand touched it. 1-0. Seiji immediately picked up speed towards the trio. From Mayu’s perspective, he was almost flying rather than jumping at this point.

“Whoa-ho. Bro’s fast.” Shou whistled.

“Not fast enough.” Kaori said. “Take him down, Mayu.”

“Roger.” Mayu replied. Sky took a knee, bringing her LN-90 Impulse to bear. She allowed herself a little smile as Seiji continued his straight line flight towards her.

_‘Classic. It’s not going to be the first shot that takes him…’_

She fired. Her rifle boomed. The shot streaked towards Gladius. As expected, he twisted and barrel-rolled in his jump, narrowly dodging the shot. It was always the second shot that finished off blockade runners. At the speeds they went at, it was too difficult to do rapid, sharp course adjustments.

She fired again.

Mayu blinked as he made another sudden maneuver - this one a half barrel roll into two quick forty-five degree turns. The contrails from his suit’s jump jets formed a ‘Z’ as he dodged her second and third shots in quick succession.

“The hell was that?!” Shou shouted, bringing his guns to bear.

“He’s fast!” Kaori readied Ember’s sword.

_‘That shouldn’t be possible. Most people would lose control on the second turn of that, or pass out from the G-forces, or…’_

“Kaori! Shou-kun! Prepare to intercept!” Mayu shouted. “I won’t be able to stop him!” Her magazine had two more rounds left. She needed to save them if he got past their blockade. He was already up 1-0 from touching the first beacon; if he touched second, they’d be forced to chase him down. And at that speed, she wasn’t certain if they could make it.

Gladius entered medium range. Seiji didn’t have any weapons from this far out.

Shou took aim with Asura’s heavy machine guns.

“I”ve got him--Crap!” Shou yelled as Gladius leapt and whirled, utilizing both the speed of its approach and the momentum of its spin to _throw_ the shield that was mounted to the left forearm. The edge slammed into Asura, knocking the green mech over.

“Damnit! Hang on! Hang on, I’ve still got the seekers!”

Mayu’s eyes widened as Ember moved to intercept in melee range. She understood the danger immediately.

“Shou-kun, don’t! Hold your fire--!”

Asura’s seeker missiles launched into the air, screaming in on Gladius’ six. He hit the ground just in front of Ember, drawing the short beam saber that was his suit’s namesake. He slashed up in a feint to briefly delay Ember’s downstroke before launching off the ground again in a tight parabola _over_ Ember, shooting in a straight line at Sky.

“Damnit! Not that easy, Seiji!” Kaori yelled, turning to throw her only ranged weapon - a beam chakrum. So focused was she that she didn’t notice the seeker missiles accelerating at Gladius. Kaori of course was in the way; the missiles struck her in the back. Ember was immediately powered down by the full-salvo impact.

Sky’s shoulder-mounted ‘Shroud’ autocannon, the suit’s rarely used back-up weapon, came to life as Seiji entered range. He roared past her, the auto-tracking weapon shooting the ground and air behind him as he was in and then almost immediately out of range of the back-up weapon.

That was fine. If he was out of range of the autocannon, then he was in range of the Impulse rail rifle. She drew a bead on his back.

Gladius spun again. Seiji’s own shoulder-mounted weapon took aim. Mayu recognized it immediately as an S-40 ‘Piranha’, a plasma shotgun.

_‘He’s already out of range. That won’t do anything--?!’_

He fired repeatedly - he was out of effective range for the weapon to do any damage to Mayu, but the repeated bursts from the weapon created enough energy scatter to screw up both heat signature and optical targeting.

“Mayu! Take him down!” Kaori yelled.

“I… I don’t have a shot. I’m sorry.” Mayu said, in disbelief. The third beacon chimed. 2-0. The fourth. 3-0. Shou flew after him in pursuit, but Gladius was far faster than Asura.

“We’ll wait for him to come back around.” Shou said. “He’s just by himself, so…”

“He won’t come back around.” Mayu said. “He’s won.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you remember? It hardly happens in Windshear these days because most games get settled with combat and most blockade runners get shot down before they get that far… We can’t backtrack behind the last beacon from our position. And he doesn’t have to move forward.” Mayu said, shaking her head.

Sure enough, Gladius sat back just behind the first beacon. The score was now 3-0, and Seiji was happily waiting out the clock. The team could try a pincer, sending just one of their number ‘around the beacons’ to force Gladius ahead, but that would obviate their numbers advantage. Based on what she saw, she thought Kaori would have the best chance of taking down Seiji one on one, but Mayu and Shou didn’t have much of a shot.

Kaori sighed. “...Point taken, Seiji.”

“Same on this side.” Seiji replied, his face showing up on the HUD.

“What do you mean?”

“Mayu - take a shot at me from where you are.” Seiji said.

Mayu frowned. “You’re outside my effective range, Seiji-san.”

“Trust me.”

She took the shot - it traversed practically the entire playing field, barely clipping Gladius. Mayu watched in shock as even that graze completely powered down Seiji’s suit.

“That kind of maneuvering is a huge power drain.” Seiji explained. “And Gladius is still made up of mostly outdated parts. The only reason I was able to pull that on you guys is because I surprised you, and we have each other’s technical data. Fighting this way against anyone else is a gamble.”

“How were you moving that fast, anyway?” Shou asked.

“My suit is _really_ lightly armored.” Seiji said. “I couldn’t get a sponsor back at CINY, so I had to get creative on min-maxing my specs to be competitive. Hopefully we’ll get a sponsor after qualifiers… Then I might be able to be less of a glass cannon or one trick pony. For now, we should figure out how we want to fight as a team.”

“Can’t we just let you do your blockade runner thing?”

“It might work _once._ ” Seiji said. “The moment they see what I’m doing, they’ll just learn to pick me off. So as much fun as it was to fly circles around you guys, I think we should stick to something more reliable…”

Mayu frowned. There was something funny about Seiji’s movements. Being lightly armored explained _some_ of it, but there was something else. She started to ask, when another voice (and image) cut into the comm. It was Nobuyuki Saito, the history professor that Seiji ran afoul of during his first day.

“ACE 2049-11. You’re cutting into the next time slot.”

Kaori shook her head. “There’s no way. We just started!”

Saito smirked. “You should know, Itami-san. _Qualified_ teams with a faculty advisor get priority over the practice fields.”

“What qualified team would be practicing right now!? The only games coming up are the qualifiers!” Kaori shot back.

“Team Exceed is practicing. I’m merely their faculty advisor, not their actual coach. Who am _I_ to tell them when and when not to exercise their right to practice?”

“This is bullshit! All the qualified teams know that they’re supposed to let the new teams practice right now! You can’t--” Kaori practically yelled.

“I can and _will_ , Itami-san. The last time I checked, I’m still a professor here at ACE.” He paused, as if looking for - and finding - Seiji’s face on the video comm. His smile was haughty and mocking. “No matter _who_ happens to be ‘in my head’. Now, vacate the field. Or you’ll lose your spot in the qualifying tournament.”

>>>

“I’m sorry, guys.” Seiji said, rubbing his face with a gloved hand. They had all just docked and disembarked, still wearing their form-fitting flight suits. “Saito already has it in for me.”

Shou frowned, checking his phone. “I’ll say. He’s gone ahead and booked practices for Exceed right after all of the ones Kaori booked for us already. I’m betting he’s going to pull the same thing every time.”

Seiji sighed, his fist thudding against Gladius’ leg armor. “This is bullshit. We just had a few words in his class. What the hell is his problem? I’m really, really sorry.”

To Seiji’s surprise, Kaori shook her head and spoke reassuringly. “It’s not actually your fault, Seiji. It’s his son, Nobuhide Saito. He’s a second-year engineer. He was trying to transfer into the armored combat stream to become a pilot but failed to make the cut.”

“How does that have anything to do with me?” Seiji asked. “...Wait. Is it because I’m a transfer student, too!? It’s not like I took that guy’s exact spot!”

“No. You didn’t. But in Saito’s eyes, he probably sees your enrollment as a slap to the face. Most people here consider Americans as just another PARDA country by now… Saito’s different. He’s still hanging onto the war. And now you’re here, in the spot that he thinks belongs to his son.” Kaori sighed.

“I don’t know, Kaori. This really does sound like it’s my fault.”

“It isn’t.” Kaori frowned. “If he’s the faculty advisor for Exceed, we would have butted heads with him eventually anyway. Shou and I used to be on that team.”

Shou rubbed the back of his neck. “We uh… Had a slight disagreement.”

“Sounds more like a falling out…” Seiji started to ask for more details out of curiosity, but hesitated on seeing not only Kaori, but also the jovial Shou of all people tense up. Seiji shrugged. “Anyway… If we can’t practice, we should at least run simulations. I need to see how you guys fight as a team.”

“Not nearly as good as being in our mobile suits…” Kaori sighed.

“But it‘s better than nothing, right?” Shou grinned, throwing his arm over Seiji’s shoulders. He playfully punched his arm. “It’ll be a cinch anyway. Like Seiji said, we only need to be in the top four of the qualifiers. Now, come on. Let’s go and do some team building over ramen!”

>>>

April 3, 2049 (Saturday) 

Seiji slowly sat up on his bed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He sighed, rubbing his face. It was his first weekend in Isokaze, and also his first hangover. Apparently, what Shou meant by ‘team building over ramen’ was having beers with said ramen, followed by an impromptu pub crawl across Isokaze. He couldn’t remember much of what happened after a certain point, other than promising Shou that they were indeed ‘best bros’ after dominating a few other people in a game of Beirut.

_‘Good thing I had enough sense to start chugging water at some point…’_

At the very least, his head didn’t hurt, even if he was a bit groggy. He glanced at his phone - half past ten. He got up, slipping on a pair of sweatpants before heading downstairs. He had planned to go out for a run this morning to not only get back into his regular routine, but also to explore the city a little.

_‘Coffee first, though. Need coffee. All the coffee.’_

He staggered into the kitchen and living room area - Nikki already made a pot, apparently. The smell was intoxicating. He rubbed at his eyes again, yawning as the aroma worked a sort of chemotaxis on the blonde pilot. Nikki. That reminded him - there was something she told him about her plans today. He had to ‘be scarce’ for some reason. As he mulled it over, he poured himself a cup of coffee.

A gasp and stifled shriek surprised him; he whirled, facing the living/dining room of the open-plan house. Nikki was there. That was expected. But she also had two friends with her, girls who looked roughly her age. That was… also expected, Seiji remembered.

_‘Anyway. I need you to be scarce on Saturday, by the way.’_

_‘Boyfriend already? I need to vet him, you know.’_

_‘You don’t. And no. Just friends I met in class. So don’t come downstairs half-asleep and half-naked like you usually do on weekends.’_

Nikki looked mortified; the other girls were bright red. One looked away, the other stared wide-eyed at the shirtless ACE student.

“...Uh, at least I’m not half-asleep?” Seiji said, weakly.

Nikki stood up, hurling a throw pillow from the sofa at him. “Go and put a shirt on, you useless slob! Stop flashing underage girls!”

“Right!” He deflected the pillow with his free hand, protecting his coffee as he went back upstairs. He got dressed, putting on his training clothes - shorts, t-shirt, and a lightweight hooded sweater.

By the time he returned downstairs, Nikki’s friends had recovered from the shock. They both regarded him with more than a little casual interest, though.

“Nikki-chan, aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“Yeah! Is he your brother?”

Nikki sighed. “Akane Watanabe, Megumi Ito, meet Seiji Maki. My _allegedly_ older brother.”

Seiji smiled politely. “Sorry about earlier!”

“Oh, no, it’s _totally_ fine.” Akane said, smiling at Seiji, her chin resting on her palm.

“Mmhm.” Megumi added. “Going out for a run?”

“Yes. He absolutely is. _Right now_.” Nikki gave Seiji a shove out the door.

Seiji chuckled a little, hearing one last comment through the door.

“Is he single?”

>>>

Yuuna walked through Isokaze’s Central Park on the way to her part time job at _The Right Stuff_ , a cafe located right on the other side of the park from her home. She smiled slightly as she passed by the fountain carved in the likeness of Umiko, the guardian goddess of Isokaze. She thought back to the bus ride on the first day of the spring term with Seiji.

_‘Oh. And over that way is Central Park. It’s really beautiful, and there’s even a fountain carved to look like Umiko-sama in the middle.’_

_‘Heh. Kinda funny how Isokaze has a Central Park, too.’_

_‘Oh, that’s right! New York has_ **_the_ ** _Central Park, doesn’t it?’_

Lately, the blonde transfer student had been on her mind. It helped that he was good-looking and friendly, certainly. But probably the best part about meeting him was that he had no idea about what happened last year; he had no clue why Yuuna spent most of her days at ACE hoping to be left alone. Instead, his interest in her just seemed… refreshingly _normal_. She sighed. But it was only a matter of time before that would be over. Eventually, Seiji would be accepted as a regular student, and eventually, the rumor mill would tell him everything that she didn’t want him to know. False rumors or not, she had been through this routine enough to know that it would ultimately end their association - either by his hand, or hers.

She glanced at her phone to check the time. As she preferred, she was going to be early for work.

Her phone buzzed with a text.

**SS: Hey. I heard you’ve been getting friendly with some transfer student. I told you, I...**

She swept the text off her screen without waiting to read the rest. She wished she could just block the sender, but certain circumstances wouldn’t allow it. She bit her lip, shoving her phone back in her pocket - and nearly running headlong into a young man.

“Oh. Excuse me. I’m sorry!” Yuuna bowed politely. She stepped to the side to go around him. She blinked as he matched her movement, getting in front of her. Her heart sank when she recognized him - his name was Souta Tanaka, one of the pilots from Exceed.

“No problem.” His smile was essentially a leer as he looked at her.

Yuuna reflexively pulled her cardigan closed over her shirt. “If it’s no problem, then can I get by?”

“Heh. You’re Yuuna Misaki, aren’t you?”

“Yes…” Yuuna let out a quiet sigh. _‘Here we go again.’_

“You know, if you’re really sorry, maybe you can spend a little time with me? Rumor has it that you like pilots.” Souta said.

“The rumours are wrong. Excuse me.” Yuuna said curtly. She stepped around him again, walking past. She came to an abrupt halt as he grabbed her wrist.

“You think you’re hot just because you dated Sugou? You don’t need to be such a stuck up bitch. We all heard that you--”

“You know, where I come from, that’s considered assault.”

Yuuna looked up in surprise at Seiji. He was out jogging, apparently. He came to a halt in front of them, his hazel eyes focused on the hand that was clenching Yuuna’s wrist.

Souta eyed Seiji up and down. The blonde had a few inches on him, but apparently Souta wasn’t intimidated. “Please. We were just _talking_. What’s wrong with a guy holding a girl’s hand?”

“It looks more like you’re trying to crush her wrist.” Seiji said. “And the look on her face says it all.”

“Mind your own damn business, transfer. You’re nothing. Just some _gaijin_ from a backwater country that lucked into ACE.” With his free hand, Souta gave Seiji a hard shove.

Seiji did something too fast for Yuuna to really see - all she knew was that a moment after Souta’s hand touched Seiji’s shoulder, the blonde somehow had the other man’s wrist in some sort of joint lock.

“Ow! Holy-- you’re breaking my wrist! You’re breaking it! Weren’t you just talking about assault!?” He tried to wrench his hand free - that only made the pain worse. He settled for letting go of Yuuna and trying in vain to move his body to a position that would decrease the pressure across his joint.

“You pushed me first. This is self-defense.” Seiji said, pleasantly. “I think you should apologize.”

“S-sorry! Sorry for pushing you--”

“To Misaki-san.” Seiji continued.

Souta scowled. “I’m not gonna apologize to some wh--Shit! Fuck!”

Seiji’s grip changed fractionally. He continued to smile. “Try again.”

“S...sorry.” Souta said, through clenched teeth.

“Who are you apologizing to?”

“Yuuna--Augh! Misaki-san! I meant Misaki-san!”

“Good. Now say it all together. And bow properly, too.”

“Are you fucking serious?!”

“Consider it a public service. You’re educating this ‘gaijin from a backwater country’ on how to apologize properly.”

Souta bowed as the pressure on his wrist increased. “I’m sorry--ugh-- Misaki-san. It won’t happen again.”

“Misaki-san?” Seiji said, gently.

Yuuna blinked. She took her eyes off Seiji to look at Souta, still bowed over at the waist. She was too surprised to say anything that the jerk probably deserved to hear. And his face was already contorted in quite a bit of pain.

“Uh… apology accepted.”

“Great.” Seiji said. He abruptly twisted Souta’s wrist behind his back. He aimed the pilot into the park before giving him a hard shove. “Walk.”

Yuuna watched as Souta walked away, shaking out his hand. She turned back to Seiji, still wide-eyed. “Th… thanks, Maki-san. You didn’t have to…”

Seiji gave her a smile - the smile she found so dazzling, right from the get-go when they met on the bus. “I wanted to. Are you going to work? You mentioned that you have a part time job near the park, didn’t you?”

“Hm? Oh, yes.” Yuuna pointed. “Just over there.”

“ _The Right Stuff_ , huh?” Seiji said, thoughtfully. “Great name for a cafe. I’ll walk you over.”

Yuuna gasped. She couldn’t inconvenience him further. “Oh, no! It’s so close by! And you’re on a run. I couldn’t--”

“Just finished, actually.” Seiji said, shrugging. He seemed to amp up the charm on that smile of his - it was almost _unfair_ . “If it makes you feel any better, then how about you walk to work, and I’ll just _happen_ to walk over to get a coffee?”

“O...okay!” Yuuna squeaked. It was only when they reached the front door, her face burning, that she realized the problem with walking into her job with an escort.

“Yuuna-chan! You’re always early! Really. I appreciate it, but a beautiful girl like you shouldn’t be wasting so much time here. You should be out dating, or…” Futaba Takahashi, the kindly middle-aged lady who owned the cafe, finally looked up to see Yuuna and Seiji standing in the doorway together. “Who is _this_?!”

“A friend! He’s just a friend!” Yuuna said, frantically waving her hands. She felt like she was going to spontaneously combust. She’d never hear the end of it from Takahashi or any of the other employees when they found out. She looked at Seiji for help.

Seiji nodded. “Yes, that’s right. I ran into Misaki-san outside. Just a friend.”

Yuuna sighed.

“Right now.”

Yuuna squeaked. She pushed/guided Seiji to a table, sitting him down. She hurriedly ran behind the counter, getting her apron on. “Y-y-you wanted coffee, right Maki-san?!”

“Yes, please.” Seiji said, clearly trying not to laugh. If he wasn’t so pretty, Yuuna might have been more annoyed.

Yuuna brought the coffee out, placing it on the table. Still embarrassed, she started to turn away.

“Ah, Yuuna-chan. Your shift hasn’t started, yet. You can sit down with your _friend_ and have some coffee together! Go on, don’t be rude.” Takahashi said, a cunning smile on her face as she brought out a second cup of coffee for Yuuna.

“ _Thanks_.” Yuuna said, taking a seat across from Seiji while shooting her boss a look.

She stared down at her coffee, stealing the occasional glance up at Seiji. He seemed to be enjoying his drink. His cheeks were still a little flushed from his run; his pupils were dilated as well. His broad shoulders rose and fell just a little faster than usual.

Seiji caught her looking. He flashed that winning smile at her again, making her quickly look down. She wondered if her face would stay red permanently if this went on any longer.

“You… you know. If you keep smiling like that, a girl could get the wrong idea.” Yuuna managed to get out.

“Oh, really?” Seiji said, faux-innocently. “If I want you to get that idea, wouldn’t that make it the _right_ idea?”

Yuuna couldn’t quite wrap her head around that one yet. Instead, she opted to switch to a safer topic. “So… So how did your first practice go with your new team?”

Seiji’s smile faded. “Not great, unfortunately.”

Yuuna listened as Seiji related the story of how Nobuyuki Saito had essentially hijacked their practice time, and how it looked like the history professor was planning to do the same right up until the qualifier matches that were supposed to happen on Thursday.

“...And so, that’s it. The team was pretty understanding, but the whole thing still feels like my fault.”

Yuuna shook her head. “It really isn’t, Maki-san. The way that Itami-san and Shinjirou-san split off from Exceed last year is common knowledge on campus. And Saito-sensei was already the team’s faculty advisor at the time. Even if you weren’t here, I’m sure he would have tried to do something to those two.”

“What happened, anyway?”

Yuuna frowned. “...A difference of opinion. There was a pilot who wanted to switch teams from Reborn. Suguru Sugou. He’s good, but not better than Akira Masato or Jian Tseng. He became tired of being in their shadow, so he left and was ultimately recruited by Exceed. He took over as the captain right away, and things… changed.”

Seiji sighed. “Yeah. I’ve seen that before in my old school. Unfortunately, mobile suit piloting has a tendency to bring out the best and worst that society has to offer.” He smiled slightly. “Do you know what ‘the right stuff’ refers to?”

Yuuna cocked her head to the side, mulling over the English phrase. “I never really thought about it. Doesn’t it just mean the qualities you need to succeed?”

“That’s what it’s become, yeah. The origin of the idiom is actually in aviation, though.” Seiji said. “It originally referred to things like ‘manliness’, ‘courage’, or ‘resolve’. And enough confidence to verge on cockiness. I think that kind of swagger persists in piloting to this day, for better or worse. Sometimes, people try to force it. Like Sugou.”

“Or Tanaka, the guy you met earlier?”

“He’s a pilot?” Seiji made a face. “Then yeah, him too.”

Yuuna frowned. “It seems like it’s just for ‘the worse’, then.” She glanced at the time. “It’s about time for my shift to start, Maki-san.”

Seiji finished his coffee, standing up. “Thanks for the coffee. And you know… in my experience, the pilots who _really_ have ‘the right stuff’ don’t need to demand the spotlight like either of those guys.”

Yuuna collected the coffee cups, humming curiously. “No?”

She fumbled the cups at his confident grin; her heart skipped a beat. Seiji smoothly snatched them out of the air before they hit the floor.

“No. They don’t demand the spotlight. The spotlight just can’t help but be drawn to them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, thanks for giving this a try if you've read to this point. This truly is a labor of love for me: ACE Academy is a visual novel with a relatively small fandom (there's all of one other fic on AO3). The visual novel is on Steam. I enjoyed it, but when playing through the focus is not so much on the mecha but more on the slice of life/romance. It's basically boy meets girl with mecha in the background.
> 
> My aim for Endless Sky is to make it 'boy meets girl meets mecha'. I wanted to have a more expansive/better explained world for why things are the way they are, with the eventual aim of shifting from a 'battle school' type story to something a little bigger.
> 
> To properly reference everything - Windshear is heavily based on _another_ visual novel I really liked, Aokana. In Aokana, the game is 'Flying Circus', or FC. Windshear is basically FC but with teams of four, mecha, and projectile weapons. I loved the concept of FC and how dynamic/fast it was, but wanted more guns and robots (duh). Other references/influences would be Cosmic Era Gundam (SEED) and also Mass Effect to for some of the pseudo-science.
> 
> The 'science' itself was fun to think about. I think a lot of sci fi has something 'magical' to make it work. In this case, the theoretical Higgs-Boson particle. It's this universe's version of a miracle element (IE, Element Zero in Mass Effect). 
> 
> As for the whole geopolitical thing (PARDA, the US being relegated to a backwater country, etc) - Part of it is for later plot, the other part of it is to explain a little more about why the US is behind in cenorobotics. In the canon game, the protagonist uses an outdated mecha. In the game, it was called 'Eagle'. Made me think of 'eeeeaaaagle' from Scrubs the medical comedy, so I changed it ^^; Also, sword-themed name for Seiji's suit is there for a reason.
> 
> For those of you that are familiar with the game and you're wondering why Yuuna and not Kaori/Valerie (who seem to be really popular) - I like the whole team manager/athlete trope. Also, I get my fill of writing tsundere characters in my other fics. And as for Valerie, she's a little too similar to the protagonist that I've cooked up in terms of being flashy/flirty.
> 
> Finally as a Gundam fan, I kinda wanted to keep calling them 'mobile suits'. In this AU, they're referred to as mobile suits, machines, mechs, suits interchangeably.


	2. Windshear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The discovery of a stable Higgs-Boson particle was a flashpoint not only for science, but civilization at large. Akin to the wheel, electricity, and DNA, discovery of the particle led to countless technologies that forever changed humanity. The ability to directly manipulate mass led to dramatically stronger and lighter alloys. The increased understanding of particle physics led to instantaneous communication via quantum entanglement._
> 
> _But no discovery was as dramatic as the advent of the Gravity Membrane. Somewhat of a misnomer, the field doesn’t manipulate gravity so much as the mass of the object(s) it surrounds. Naming technicalities aside, nothing quite captures the imagination quite as much as the sight of a 15 metre high mobile suit flying through the air on minimal thrust, as agile as a hummingbird and as fast as a falcon._
> 
> _So long as power holds out. A stable GM is a substantial power draw, and even the best Ultracompact H-Cell (UHC) can be rapidly depleted by erratic maneuvering and weapon use. This is somewhat less of a concern in zero-G, but in the atmosphere, pilots are more likely to rely on ‘jumps’ rather than true sustained flight._  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In terms of how these mobile suits look - hard to wax poetic and go on and on to put it in words, so I'll list visual analogues here:
> 
> MI-18 Hornets: Somewhat similar to the mass-produced GINNs in Gundam Seed  
> Personal mobile suits: Tend to have the usual 'Gundam' look (vaguely samurai-like)  
> Gladius: Look/description inspired by the Tallgeese from Gundam Wing
> 
> Reminders/definitions
> 
> AJI: All-Japan Intercollegiate  
> PHPT: Pilot health and physiotherapy (basically the pre-med track at ACE)

April 8, 2049 (Thursday) 

“And in international news today, talks between PARDA, the EU, and the PAC have stalled yet again today over mining rights on Mars. All three alliances have threatened various trade sanctions against each other, though there have been no threats of military action.”

Seiji barely listened to the news anchor for the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, the main PARDA news network in the country. Instead, he absently poured his coffee, staring blankly at the holographic screen that was projected above the kitchen island.

“Moving on to sports, with tier 1 Windshear. In the Asia-Pacific Division, Japan’s ‘Abyssal’ easily defeated China’s ‘Warframe’ to continue their winning streak. They now stand at ten straight victories, led by top gun Keiji Kawahara…”

“You’re spilling, Nii-chan.”

Seiji blinked. He looked down, swearing as he realized he was pouring coffee directly onto the marble top. He grabbed for the nearest thing he could find to wipe it up. Nikki gasped and snatched the item away from him.

“Don’t use your blazer, idiot!” Nikki snapped. She threw a tea towel at him. “Honestly. You’re hopeless… ...Are you okay? You haven’t been looking like yourself this week.”

Seiji sighed, wiping up the coffee. “Yeah. Today’s the qualifiers.”

“It’s not like you to be nervous about Windshear.” NIkki said, pulling their lunches out of the refrigerator. After a moment’s pause, she also dug out a small cooler from one of the kitchen cabinets. “Even during the NCAA finals, you still almost slept in. I had to wake you up.”

Seiji was successful in his second attempt at pouring coffee into his mug. “Yeah, I remember that. We were a solid team by then, though. We all knew each other’s habits perfectly. This time’s different. We haven’t had a lot of practice, and I don’t feel like I know the team very well.”

“I thought you were getting along with everyone?”

Seiji frowned. “Everyone on my team, yes. There’s a professor who has it in for us, though. Because of him, we haven’t been able to get that much practice time other than the simulator.”

Nikki sighed, grabbing her motorcycle helmet as the two of them headed to the door. “That doesn’t seem really fair. How does ACE allow that sort of thing?”

“There isn’t really a rule against it. And it’s hard for us to argue when we don’t really have a faculty advisor yet.”

“You can’t ask Aunt Yuki?”

“She seems pretty busy. And I’m not sure how Uncle Kaito would react.” Seiji said, thinking of how they still hadn’t seen their aunt come back to the house. Despite Kaito’s attempts to deflect, it was pretty obvious by now that the two were estranged. “It’s a bit of a moot point now, anyway. We have to qualify today. Otherwise, none of us will be able to compete this year unless some other team lets us walk on as benchwarmers.”

Seiji took Nikki to school, dropping her off in front of the gates.

“I’ll give you a text if things look like they’re going to run long, Nikki. Otherwise, I’ll pick you up after school.”

“Thanks, Nii-chan!” Nikki chirped, waving at Seiji. She held her glitter-adorned helmet in hand. “Good luck!”

>>>

The mini-tournament ran all day - all of the teams hoping to qualify for league play this year were excused from their classes. Even so, with 56 matches in total to play, the normal Windshear rules had to be modified for faster games. Late in the afternoon, ACE 2049-11 had only one more match to play. The team waited with their mobile suits at the site of their final match - the same archipelago where they had their abbreviated practice session.

“Man, I’m _beat_. Seven games in a day is crazy. Good thing we’ve only got one left.” Shou sighed, stretching his arms over his head. He flopped back against Asura’s foot tiredly, unzipping the top of his form-fitting flightsuit. “What’s taking the other team so long?”

Kaori frowned, glancing at her phone. “We’re up against ACE 2049-12. They finished their previous match twenty-five minutes ago… They should be here by now.”

“Maybe they can’t continue for some reason? That’s the trouble with having so many matches in a day. If you don’t have an engineer and sponsor, it’s hard to get repairs done in between games.” Seiji shrugged. “In any case, nothing we can do but wait until we hear from the referee.”

The blonde pilot reached into the small cooler that Nikki packed, handing bottles of energy drinks to the rest of the team.

Shou blinked, before breaking into a huge smile. “Oh, awesome. Great thinking, bro.”

“Wish I could take credit, Shou. My sister figured it would be a good idea.” Seiji said. “It’s too bad she’s a few years behind us. She would have made a great team manager.”

“Really? Is she cute?” Shou asked.

“She’s my _sister_ , Shou.” Seiji replied, raising his eyebrow.

“What? I’m just saying, man. The role of team manager is best fulfilled by a cute girl--”

“We don’t need a manager!” Mayu snapped. 

Seiji could have sworn he saw her blush before she hurriedly took her sports drink with a mumbled thanks. She turned away from the group, looking off in the direction towards the mainland.

“Anyways, they’re almost out of time.” Kaori said. “If they’re not here in another five minutes, it’s an automatic disqualification.”

“And that means we’d qualify, right?” Shou asked, eagerly. “And better yet, we can go out and party!”

Kaori rolled her eyes at first, but even she had to smile a little at the thought of qualifying. “It _would_ be nice. We’ve fought hard today already… A win, whether by default or not, would mean we’d jump from fifth in the round robin to third. In fact, whoever wins this match makes it into the top four and qualifies.”

“...I think I see mobile suits approaching.” Mayu said, squinting into the distance.

“Looks like we’re fighting our way in after all.” Seiji tossed his empty drink bottle back into the cooler. “Let’s mount up.”

The four members of ACE 2049-11 returned to their mobile suits, each of them bringing up visuals of the approaching team.

“...Wait. Wait a second. That can’t be ACE 2049-12!” Kaori said, sounding even more agitated than usual as she spoke over the team’s channel. “I recognize one of those suits…”

“...Oh, shit.” Shou mumbled. “That’s Suguo’s MMX-1A Sovereign. What’s he doing with some team trying to qualify?”

The team of four landed, taking their position at the starting beacon. Three of the four mobile suits were ACE Academy issued MI-18s. The fourth was a personal suit - a Japanese model armed with a beam rifle, and more notably, a massive anti-ship claymore. Like Kaori’s main weapon, a hit from that behemoth would cause massive damage if it hit. Its gold highlights glittered in the sun, a stark contrast to the rest of its blood red and obsidian colour scheme.

“I’ll get in touch with the officials. There’s no way that this is legal.” Kaori grumbled. “Exceed is already fully sponsored and has a team of engineers.”

Before Kaori could lodge her protest, all four members of their team grimaced as the face of Nobuyuki Saito, professor of history, appeared on screen.

“Good afternoon, ACE 2049-11.” Saito said, with a smug smile. “Congratulations on your performance thus far.”

“Saito-sensei! What’s the meaning of this? Suguo is still Exceed’s captain, isn’t he?!” Kaori said, barely remaining polite.

“He most certainly is. But one of ACE 2049-12’s pilots was injured in their previous match. Like your team, they don’t have a spare. So, Suguo-kun quite generously offered to fill in.”

“He’s on one of the top three teams at ACE, in a fully sponsored personal mobile suit. How is this fair?” Seiji asked.

“Ah, but you were about to take on a team with four standard issue Hornets. How is _that_ fair, Maki-kun?”

Seiji clenched his jaw. That was certainly true. They would have happily entered the match.

“...but as you say, we should do this by the book. As per official AJI Windshear rules, any off-team substitutions for exceptional circumstances must be approved by the opposing team as well.” Saito said, even managing to sound magnanimous. His smile turned into a mocking grin.

“So if you object, then ACE 2049-12 loses by default. It would be understandable if you choose to go this way. Knowing when to retreat against _superior_ forces is part of combat training. You’ve barely managed to get by against other qualifying teams, so I imagine the prospect of facing Suguo-kun is quite daunting…”

There was silence among the team. On screen, Kaori started to speak.

“We don’t—”

“We accept.” Seiji said sharply.

“H-hey! Bro, what...” Shou stammered.

“Just give us five more minutes before starting.” Seiji killed the comm, switching to the team’s private channel. Before he could get a word in, Kaori nearly blew out his speakers.

“Seiji! What the hell was that?! Do you even know what Suguo’s capable of?!” Kaori snapped. “I hate the idea of running too, but we can’t win right now! We’ve been fighting all day, and we don’t have the benefit of an engineer and sponsorship!”

The team’s four suits were holding up, but certainly not at 100%. The day’s battles had taken their toll, and the team had neither the technical expertise nor resources to make rapid repairs between matches.

“Yeah, Bro. I mean, it kills me to admit that a jerk like that is a great pilot, but he’s legit. We should have taken the default win.”

Seiji hoped that on the video link he wasn’t _visibly_ hot under the collar. It certainly wasn’t the smartest move to accept, but the professor had gotten under his skin. He took a deep breath. There was a good reason to accept the challenge as well, though.

“I’m not so sure about that, Shou.” Seiji said. “Saito wants to make our lives miserable. I think if we won by default, it might actually be worse. He’ll likely push the narrative that our team unjustly denied 2049-12 the chance to qualify through a match. I think he was hoping we wouldn’t notice, but he was broadcasting our conversation to everyone watching… We have to keep in mind that even if Suguo’s a ringer, there’s still three other pilots over there legitimately trying to qualify. If we just force them to lose by default, we’ll look like the bad guys. And these qualifiers are recorded, aren’t they? It’ll be hard for us to get a sponsor if we’re labeled as cowards.”

There was silence over the comm as the team digested that. Shou spoke up.

“...I really don’t want to deal with that bastard's smug face every day if we just took the default win. But it’ll be hard for us to beat Suguo and three others. The guy’s practically unbeatable in a straight up fight.”

Seiji smiled.

“That’s why we’re not going to take him in a straight up fight.”

>>>

Yuuna slipped into the back of one of the mobile suit ‘stadiums’ that was set up on the ACE campus. It was an oval room, with tiered auditorium style seating going all the way around. Quite a bit smaller than the uninitiated might have expected - largely because actual mobile suits never set foot in the place. Instead, a holographic projection of the Windshear match, duel, or whatever else was going on could be broadcast into the center. It made more sense this way - mobile suit war games and exercises typically took place over several square kilometres, and even though no live weapons were used, a sudden uncontrolled fall could flatten anyone trying to watch the proceedings in person.

As usual, the magenta-haired girl ignored the gazes that followed her as she looked for an empty seat. It was difficult; most classes were over for the day, so the seats were filled with curious students.

“Ah. You can sit here, if you like.”

Yuuna paused. “Oh! Hikari-sensei! Thank you.”

Seiji’s aunt, Yuki Hikari, smiled as Yuuna took a seat beside her. “Here to watch Seiji-chan’s team try to qualify? You’re Misaki-san, right?”

“You remember me?” Yuuna was surprised. Even though PHPT was her big interest, she was generally pretty quiet in class.

Yuki smiled. “Of course. You’re the girl that Seiji-chan can’t keep his eyes off of.”

Yuuna’s eyes widened; she squeaked. “ _Sensei_!”

“Haha. Sorry.” Yuki suppressed a little giggle, her violet eyes glinting mischievously behind her glasses. She was completely different when she wasn’t lecturing or working. “I think his team should do well. They’re up against another new team, but they’re all piloting standard issue suits, so…”

Yuki’s smile vanished as she watched the holographic projection of ACE 2049-12 approach the field. Saito’s voice was audible as he broadcast the conversation between himself, Kaori, and Seiji back to the stadium.

“...That _rat bastard_.” Yuki hissed. “I can’t believe Saito would go to such lengths! I know he has a problem with Americans, but really…”

Yuuna fell silent at the sight of Sovereign. She was just glad that the mobile suit’s pilot, Suguru Suguo, hadn’t said anything over the broadcast. She clenched the hem of her skirt as she watched, wondering if it was really just the animosity Saito had towards Seiji, or if it had to do with their encounter with Souta Tanaka at the cafe. Tanaka was on Exceed with Sugou, but she had hoped the pilot would be too embarrassed to say anything to the team’s captain.

“Don’t look so nervous, Misaki-san.” Yuki said, smiling reassuringly. “Seiji-chan and his team are still going to find a way through this. Have you been keeping up with the matches today?”

“Not really.” Yuuna bit her lip. “I’ve been in class most of the day.”

“ACE 2049-11’s been acting a little coy.” Yuuki said, watching as the two teams took their positions at the starting beacon.

“Coy…?”

“They’ve been sticking to pretty conventional strategy… Usually they’ve raced to second as a group or skipped ahead as a group, using Akemi-san as their main offense.” Yuki explained. “I think it’s because they haven’t had as much practice time as they would have liked. But they’ve probably told Seiji-chan what they’re dealing with in Sovereign.”

Yuuna looked down at the battlefield. Sovereign was exactly as she remembered it when the mobile suit fought for Reborn - heavily armed and armored, and deceptively quick. It looked like more than a match for Seiji’s Gladius. “What will Maki-san do, then?”

Yuki smiled slightly. “He’ll do what he did in the NCAA.”

A horn sounded, signalling the start of the match. Yuuna gasped as Seiji’s battle-worn, outdated-looking mobile suit shot ahead of all the other pilots on the field.

“He’s fast!” Yuuna said, excitedly. “How is he able to do that?”

“It’s partly the suit his father designed. Minimal armor and weight, so the GM doesn’t drain as much power.” Yuki replied, watching as Gladius reached the halfway point in only two long jumps. “The other part is his ‘efficiency’. I’m not an engineer, but James-san always called it ‘Membrane Micromanagement’. I never quite understood it--”

“--Maki-san’s choosing where and when to activate Gladius’ gravity membrane during jumps. He’s not just leaving it to his OS!” Yuuna finished, her eyes widening. “His mobile suit must have a very advanced neural-adaptive interface to pull that off.”

Yuki looked at Yuuna, a little surprised.

Yuuna blinked. She coughed, averting her eyes. “...Just something I picked up.” She said, quietly. “A-anyway. Maki-san’s much faster. Is he going to try to run the blockade?”

“Maybe. But that would still force them into direct conflict with Sovereign when the other team skips to the next lane. As good a pilot as he is, I don’t think he’ll want to try that with a team he’s barely practiced with.” Yuki said. “Speed is definitely one of his assets. But he wasn’t just fast in the NCAA.”

The audience’s murmurs grew into startled shouts as Gladius abruptly cut across the corner from the halfway point, skipping to the space between the second and third beacons. He was quickly followed by the rest of his team as they sacrificed the first point to ACE 2049-12. Yuki chuckled.

“He was unpredictable.”

>>>

Suguo was unconcerned as he watched the shabby-looking American mobile suit jet ahead, making a beeline for the beacon. It was a typical strategy for a lightly armed team against a stronger opponent, particularly one lacking a real sniper or artillery unit.

 _‘Gaijin-kun’s probably going to try to run the blockade. None of my ‘team’ has an obvious marksman weapon, really.’_ Suguo smirked. _‘But he doesn’t know Sovereign.’_

Sovereign’s beam rifle had a surprisingly long range - not as good as the LN-90 that Deep Sky carried, but it could be fired faster and more frequently. He’d easily swat down Gladius as it tried to fly by him. Suguo really had little to no interest in the qualifiers - as far as he was concerned, the four teams that made it in this year were beneath his notice. But it was a chance to stick it to Kaori Itami and Shou Shinjirou, the pilots who left Exceed right after Suguo joined and took the captaincy. And Exceed’s faculty advisor seemed to have a problem with the transfer student on 2049-11.

And most importantly, it was a chance to punish that transfer student. Apparently, he had the guts to scuffle with Tanaka. It wasn’t that Suguo actually cared about his underling. It was more the fact that the American trash was trying to undo all the work Suguo had done in trying to isolate Yuuna Misaki.

_‘Time to show this piece of shit what happens when he tries to take what’s mine.’_

He spoke into his team’s comm channel. “Alright. Skip ahead to the second lane--”

Suguo cut himself off mid-sentence, watching as Gladius shot diagonally across to the space between the second and third beacon. He was quickly joined by the rest of his team. That was unexpected. Skipping ahead and sacrificing the point was generally done by either the slower team, or a team that was obviously superior in strength and anticipating a quick end to the match in a second lane skirmish.

“Uh… Suguo-senpai? Your orders?” One of his temporary teammates asked. The three MI-18 Hornets paused, waiting near Sovereign.

“Tch. Take the beacon. Then I’ll meet them head on.” Suguo said. “Look out for Deep Sky’s rifle. The others aren’t much of a threat. You three just make sure no one tries to bolt for the next beacon!”

Sovereign slammed the beacon as the team moved around the corner. 1-0 for ACE 2049-12. There wasn’t much cover on the archipelago battleground, so as the team island-hopped, they moved as erratically as reasonably possible, cognizant of the LN-90 rifle held by Deep Sky. But no booming report and flash of light came, even as they entered the firing range of the mobile suit. ACE 2049-11 simply waited for them.

Suguo recognized this strategy, too. They were likely waiting until he was in range of more than just Deep Sky so they could fire on him from multiple vectors. In four-on-four skirmishes, the idea was to create as many brief odd-man situations as possible. As predicted, fire from Deep Sky’s LN-90 and Asura’s dual heavy machine guns sounded out simultaneously. Suguo didn’t bother dodging - the LN-90 round went right by Sovereign, and Asura’s guns weren’t powerful enough to take down a heavily armed suit from one of the top teams at ACE.

Suguo grinned, rocketing closer. Another shot from Deep Sky narrowly missed him, despite the close range. Asura’s Seeker missiles missed their mark as Sovereign dodged around them.

“Nice try! Four on three, now--”

“--Down! I’m down!”

“I’m hit, too! Suguo-san!”

Suguo blinked, his brown eyes darting to his HUD.

One of his four teammates was down. The other was at 50% power. Deep Sky’s shots were both aimed to _look_ like they were targeting Sovereign. In truth, the first shot forced one of his teammates in front of another; the second shot immediately powered down one Hornet. As the Hornet behind _that_ one stumbled over its fallen ally, it took half of the Seeker missile salvo.

Before Suguo could react, Kaori in Aura darted in, cutting down the weakened mobile suit with her anti-ship sword.

ACE 2049-11 had followed the meta perfectly - they created an odd-man situation. It was four on two.

Gladius turned tail, immediately jetting for the next beacon as Aura, Deep Sky, and Asura faced off against Sovereign and the remaining Hornet.

Suguo slammed his fist down on his control console.

“Son of a _bitch_!” 

>>>

Yuki laughed in delight. “Akemi-san is a _brilliant_ marksman. I’ve never seen anyone anticipate the response to the first shot so well before!”

Yuuna nodded, watching as Gladius quickly created distance and touched the third beacon. 1-1. He moved quickly halfway down the third lane towards the fourth beacon, on the west side of the battleground. To Yuuna’s brief surprise, Gladius paused there, not yet touching the fourth. She smiled.

“Maki-san’s good.”

Yuki raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What do you see, Misaki-san?”

Yuuna leaned forward eagerly, her eyes on the holographic projections as Sovereign battled Aura, Deep Sky, and Asura. Suguo’s lone remaining teammate broke the blockade and chased after Seiji. “Most pilots would try to touch as many beacons as possible. Instead, Maki-san’s giving himself space to take on the Hornet coming after him. If he ends up having to run, he wants to make sure he won’t run right back into range of Sovereign’s beam rifle as he gets close to the second lane again. He’s also in a good position to keep an eye on the battle between Sovereign and the rest of ACE 2049-11.”

Yuuna paused, frowning slightly. “But the plan still depends on his team being able to take down Sovereign. Even if Gladius manages to beat that Hornet, if Sovereign stays standing all it has to do is skip lanes until it’s in range with its beam rifle. Maki-san can score as many beacons as he wants, but if he and his entire team gets shot down, it’s still a loss.”

“You don’t think the three of them can take down Sovereign?”

Yuuna bit her lip, watching as Sovereign shrugged off Asura’s fire while taking on Aura in a sword fight; Deep Sky was unable to get a clear shot. “...It’ll be challenging. It’s a top-end model with sponsorship from Stryker Tech…”

>>>

“Damn, this is almost unfair!” Shou yelled. “My guns aren’t powerful enough to do anything but chip away! Mayu, do you have a shot?!”

“No! Kaori, can you get distance?!”

Kaori grunted, thrown against the restraints of her cockpit as Aura was struck by a glancing blow. She glanced quickly at her power reserves - she was down to 30%. The fiery captain of ACE 2049-11 prided herself on her mobile suit and her melee skills, but Sovereign would have given her a run for her money even if Suguo wasn’t skilled. While all of ACE 2049-11 pilots tried their best to maintain their personal mobile suits, they couldn’t compare to a machine tricked out in the best that Stryker had to offer.

“I can! I can, but the moment I do, that beam rifle’s coming up!” Kaori shouted.

“So let’s do it, then? Plan B?!” Shou yelled. He then yelled again as Sovereign abruptly disengaged from Aura, cutting down Asura. “Shit! Sorry guys! I’m down!”

Mayu cried out as the sword struck the barrel of her LN-90; the Windshear point system immediately shut down her rifle, marking it as ‘disabled’. “My rifle’s out! I’m down to my Shroud only!”

Kaori bit her lip, glancing at her HUD. The remaining Hornet from 2049-12 was getting into range of Seiji.

“Plan B it is. Seiji! Do it!”

She took a deep breath; Aura leapt back from Sovereign, out of sword-range. Predictably, that beam rifle came up, drawing a bead on Kaori.

>>>

Suguo grinned. He took aim at Aura, firing a full-power shot from Sovereign’s beam rifle directly into the chest of the mobile suit. It wasn’t necessary, but it felt good - if this were real combat, the shot would have ensured not only destruction of the mobile suit, but incineration of the cockpit and pilot within. The red samurai-like machine powered down immediately.

He immediately turned to Deep Sky, taking aim again. There wasn’t much threat, there - Sovereign could shrug off shots from the Shroud autocannon without an issue. Really, only Aura’s anti-ship sword and Deep Sky’s disabled LN-90 could really put a dent in his upgraded suit.

The autocannon fired a sustained burst, pinpoint - _right_ down the barrel of his beam rifle.

“Weapon disabled.” His HUD announced, unnecessarily.

“Tch.” Suguo switched to his sword - he closed the distance almost instantly, cutting Deep Sky down. That just left Gladius.

He turned his attention to the third lane.

The remaining Hornet, standing on the west side of the field, was aiming up and firing wildly at the sun. Suguo squinted, looking at the feed on his HUD. His sensors told him that Gladius had jumped straight up, intentionally obscuring itself in the glare.

“Idiot! Use your targeting sensors! Don’t just shoot blindly!” Suguo yelled.

“I can’t! He’s moving too fast! He’s doing something with that mounted S-40, too! I have to use the optics to lead the shot but I can’t see-- shit!”

Gladius plummeted out of the air, performing multiple tight zig-zags as it dodged the Hornet’s fire. It looked like it was going to crash into the ground - but a pinpoint membrane manipulation and jet thrust shot the mobile suit horizontally across the ground. He led with the round shield on the left forearm, crashing into the Hornet. A flash of red immediately followed as the short beam sword stabbed in multiple places, powering down the white mobile suit.

It was now 1 on 1. Gladius moved ahead, touching the fourth beacon. 2-1.

Suguo eyes flicked back and forth between the readout for his disabled beam rifle and the display of Gladius moving on to the first beacon again. 3-1.

“...Son of a _bitch_!”

>>>

Seiji grinned in exhilaration.

“Woo!” Shou yelled. “Bastard fell for it!”

“I can’t _believe_ that worked.” Kaori said, shaking her head.

“Nice move on that Hornet, Seiji-kun.” Mayu said.

The plan from the start was to target the Hornets. They didn’t have a chance at a quick kill on Sovereign, even with the power of Mayu’s LN-90. It all would have fallen apart without taking down at least one of the standard-issue suits from the get-go. But even Seiji hadn’t anticipated how good of a marksman Mayu was - taking down one and turning the other into an easy kill for Kaori all but guaranteed this was going to work.

Plan A was to take down Sovereign in the ensuing three-on-one. Unlikely, given what they knew about the mobile suit and the pilot.

Plan B was to at least disable the beam rifle while Seiji took down his only pursuer.

And now, Seiji could round the bases with impunity as Sovereign tried in vain to catch up. The MMX-1A was fast for its armor and armament, but it couldn’t compare to Seiji’s glass cannon of a suit. Gladius was stripped down for the purpose of speed and evasion. Eventually, Suguo abandoned pursuit, opting instead to wait for Seiji to come back around. Sovereign stood menacingly on the second lane near Seiji’s fallen comrades while Gladius stood poised behind the second beacon.

But all Sovereign could do was stand menacingly. As long as Seiji didn’t pass the second beacon, Sovereign couldn’t backtrack to take him on. And without a ranged weapon, Suguo couldn’t fire back at Gladius. As the old Windshear adage went, ‘Bullets can backtrack. Bots cannot.’

The score was 10-1, and there were only a few minutes remaining in the match. 

Seiji glanced at his HUD as Sovereign started broadcasting on the open channel, audible to Seiji and everyone watching. Suguo’s face appeared in the corner of his HUD. The upperclassmen had short black hair and brown eyes, with a defined jaw and broad chin. He might have been handsome, if it weren’t for the ugly sneer decorating his face.

“You’re really going to play like this? At least your team actually fought me head to head, even if it was three on one.”

“So we’ve reached the part of the match where you try to goad me into a fight against you, even though all I have to do is wait?” Seiji chuckled.

“I’m just amazed you didn’t give up when you took on that Hornet. Isn’t that what chickenshit Americans do? You’re experts at starting fights dramatically, only to surrender.” Suguo shrugged.

“If that’s the best insult relating to the Three Day War you can manage, then I’ll be happy to help you come up with a few more original ones. _After_ we win.”

Suguo glared at Seiji through the HUD. After a moment, an ugly smile crossed his face. “...You know, I heard that the Americans gladly abandoned their comrades and citizens in their retreat south. Why don’t we see if history will repeat itself?”

Seiji blinked, watching as Sovereign knocked the powered-down Aura to the ground of the small island they were on. “Wait. Wait, Suguo! What the fuck are you doing?! Aura’s down!”

“There’s no written rule against it.” Suguo shrugged. He was right - there was no written rule in Windshear that powered down mobile suits were off-limits, but no one ever wasted the power or time to go after them. “The cockpit isn’t in danger, so the game won’t automatically end. And accidents and collisions happen all the time. Aura just happens to be lying where I need to stand.”

Sovereign’s armored foot stepped on to Aura’s knee. Slowly, Suguo started shifting his suit’s weight over.

“And to conserve power, I should really deactivate my GM…” Suguo chuckled. Sovereign’s mass started to increase, damaging Aura even more.

ACE 2049-11’s team channel opened up. Through the comm, Seiji could hear the metallic shriek of Aura’s leg being crushed.

“Seiji! Don’t you _dare_ pass the beacon!” Kaori shouted, her face defiant behind the high density transparent plastic of her helmet. “We can win this if you just stay back!”

Seiji could see the tears starting to brim in Kaori’s eyes. He understood completely - Gladius was almost a part of him by now. Kaori must have felt the same about Aura.

“Kaori, I can’t just let him wreck your suit! How the hell are you supposed to fight after?! We don’t have a sponsor or an engineer!”

“We won’t even need either if we don’t qualify!” Kaori’s voice trembled as alarms blared in her cockpit. Sovereign started to crush an arm, now. “Just wait there! That’s an order, Seiji!”

Suguo laughed. “How about that, gaijin? Now you have an excuse for your American cowardice.”

There were a few moments of silence over the comm, save for the sound of collapsing metal and crying circuits. Seiji took a deep breath.

“We’re not an official team yet.”

Kaori blinked. “What? What does that have to do with—“

A collision sounded out like a gong as the pressure on Aura was relieved instantaneously. Gladius slammed shield-first into Sovereign, knocking the mobile suit away.

“We’re not an official team yet, so you aren’t an official captain, Kaori.” Seiji smiled slightly at Kaori through the comm. “So your orders don’t really count, yet.”

Gladius faced down the top-end suit, the second beacon glowing behind in the distance. The score was 11-1, but now Seiji was facing down Sovereign. The anti-ship claymore crackled with red-orange energy, dwarfing Gladius’ short sword.

He looked vastly overmatched. But the American pilot never went into a battle planning to lose.

>>>

The stadium was now filled to capacity as word got out about the strange match up. It was odd for a team in the qualifiers to call for an emergency replacement from another team. And it was unheard of for a score to extend into double digits. Usually games ended before that could happen. And it was completely absurd that an outdated looking American mobile suit could stand up to the best that Japanese manufacturing had to offer.

Yuuna leaned forward on the edge of her seat. Gladius spent more time in the air than on the ground, performing sudden changes in direction that required pinpoint control of the gravity membrane as well as a fair amount of resistance to the resultant G-forces. Sparks flew as his beam saber struck Sovereign twice, narrowly dodging the sweeping arc of the anti-ship sword by performing a flip into the air. Sovereign whirled; its massive sword cut vertically into the air at Gladius as Suguo took full advantage of his weapon’s reach.

The crowd broke into excited cheers as Seiji responded by canceling the flip halfway, jetting immediately into a barrel roll and short dive. The glare from his beam saber left a glowing red afterimage as he struck his heavily armored opponent yet again. Gladius briefly touched the ground before jetting out of reach again, almost mockingly. It was beautiful to watch, and reminded her of why the game was called 'Windshear' in the first place - it was named after a sudden variation in wind velocity, occurring unpredictably at right angles to the direction of the expected direction of the wind.

But just like a windshear, Seiji's flight was going to be fleeting. Yuuna bit her lip as she recalled a certain conversation.

_‘Ne, Dai-nii. Why do you want to get to space so badly? Isn’t it safer to be a pilot stationed on Earth?’_

_‘You can’t fly in atmo like you can in Zero-G, Nacchan. Well. You can for a little while. But even if you can micromanage your GM and minimize power drain, it’s hard to keep it up. Heh. By the time you start having fun, it’s almost over.’_

Seiji was dancing on the razor’s edge. He was up 11-1, and there were less than a few minutes left in the match. But despite not being hit by Sovereign and successfully striking repeatedly, the readout showing on the stadium’s scoreboard showed that Gladius’ battery levels were dangerously low. Windshear’s scoring system would likely register even a glancing blow from Sovereign’s powerful sword as a kill, giving ACE 2049-12 the win despite being down by ten points.

But despite knowing this, Yuuna couldn’t help but feel growing excitement as she watched. Seiji was _flying_. So long as Seiji only had to focus on Sovereign, it didn’t seem like there was much danger of taking even that glancing hit.

>>>

“Two minutes!” Kaori shouted, her voice tinged with equal parts disbelief and hope.

“He’s coming!” The normally quiet Mayu shouted over the comm. “Get back!”

“I see it, I see it!” Seiji said, glancing at the readout for Gladius’ battery. Ten percent. He jetted back, just barely avoiding another sweeping strike from Sovereign. The bare-minimum dodge was by design; he couldn’t afford to waste the power, even with his expert manipulation of his gravity membrane.

“Whoa! Close one there, Bro.” Shou said. “You almost tripped right over me!”

“...Wait. What?!” Seiji looked at his HUD - Shou’s depowered Asura was _right behind_ him, on the ground. A flash of crimson and gold with the roar of jump jets announced Sovereign’s pursuit. His comm came to life.

“I have you now, _gaijin_! Go ahead and dodge!” Suguo crowed, striking down with his sword.

Seiji couldn’t dodge. Suguo’s anti-ship sword was part beam, part physical weapon - the beam wouldn’t actually cut Asura, but the weight of the sword could severely damage the downed suit or even injure Shou himself if it struck the cockpit. There were certainly fail safes at play - the moment that Windshear’s monitoring system detected damage to a cockpit, every suit on the field could be powered down instantly. It was highly responsive and usually more than enough.

But this was a 17 metre tall mobile suit swinging an absurdly powerful sword that was nearly as tall as the suit itself.

Seiji raised Gladius’ shield and beam sword together in desperation. He was thrown hard against his restraints as his machine nearly crumpled under the force of the blow. His shield shattered; his beam saber sputtered and shut down. Gladius was thrown back, landing on its back. Even though he’d managed to block the strike, it was overwhelming enough that it almost completely depowered his suit.

“Battery at 1%.” Gladius’ virtual intelligence intoned. “Power down imminent.”

“Shit!” Seiji brought Gladius to its feet.

Sovereign approached slowly, sword raised to finish him. Seiji couldn’t even dodge - the maneuver required would also power him down and finish the fight. There wasn’t anything left - they were going to lose, and their team would fail to qualify--

“Emergency power core protocol initiated.”

“Wait. What--?!”

The entire chassis of Gladius thrummed; the HUD flickered and rippled. Seiji watched in disbelief as his power readout shot to 100% in an instant. He could move again, but it was too late. Fully committed to the strike, Sovereign’s sword slashed down at him. In desperation, Seiji hammered on his controls - and was thrown back in his seat as Gladius shot forward, faster than Seiji had ever experienced in the suit. The smaller mech slammed into Sovereign’s chest, bowling it over.

“Holy!” Seiji swore, the edges of his vision going grey from the G-forces. He brought Gladius’ beam saber to bear.

The weapon flared to life again, no longer the length of a short sword as the confinement field struggled to maintain the shape of the energy blade as it crackled and flickered, now the length of a bastard sword. Seiji didn’t have time to consider why the normally reliable weapon was behaving this way - instead, he leapt straight up to avoid another attack from Sovereign.

In the air, Seiji was in for another surprise - despite the sustained flight and use of the gravity membrane, his power output wasn’t decreasing, nor was his battery draining. Sovereign shot up at him, launching itself upwards with its own powerful jets. Apparently Gladius’ revival had unnerved Suguo enough to come after Seiji aggressively.

Seiji dodged easily, throwing Gladius into a flip - and then jetting forwards, his beam sword slashing right into Sovereign. Following up, Gladius shot past Sovereign repeatedly, slashing and stabbing with the beam sword. Seiji yelled with exhilaration - he moved so fast that the only thing visible were the contrails and the after image from his weapon. Sovereign was helpless, flailing away at an impossibly fast target.

He flew a tight arc to dodge one last desperate swing from Sovereign before impaling his sword into where his opponent’s cockpit would be.

The Windshear scoring system was still active; the blade didn’t damage Sovereign or actually injure Suguo. But it instantly powered down the mobile suit, sending it plummeting from hundreds of metres in the air.

Seiji watched in shock as his defeated opponent’s emergency gravity membrane activated, turning what would have been a lethal fall into a hard crash landing just off the coast of one of the small islands that formed the battlefield, throwing seawater and sand into the air.

“Unable to sustain emergency power core protocol output. Mid-flight depowering is extremely hazardous. Urgent landing recommended.”

Seiji automatically adjusted his gravity membrane and jump jets, bringing Gladius down to the nearest island. He turned off his comm as it was overwhelmed with his screaming teammates and the bitter protestations of Nobuyuki Saito. He watched numbly as the mobile suit retrieval teams arrived to bring their depowered and damaged machines back; all he wanted to do was burn the memory into his mind. Not of the victory, or the feeling as he cut down Sovereign.

Rather, what he wanted to remember was the feeling of unfettered flight; the feeling of true velocity.

>>>

Seiji’s foot barely touched the floor of the hangar before he was nearly bowled over by Shou. The pilot of Asura threw his arm over his shoulders.

“That was _insane_ !” Shou laughed. “I _knew_ there was something special about you and Gladius! Holy crap! You took down Sovereign _!”_

Kaori sighed, looking up at the extensive damage to Aura’s arm and knee. “Though, I wish you had said something earlier.”

“If I had known, I would have.” Seiji said, shaking his head. “Gladius hasn’t done that before. It doesn’t make any sense… It’s been powered down before in NCAA competition without having that happen. I’ll try to figure out if there's a way to trigger it reliably. For now, I don’t think we can rely on it for competition.”

“Anyway, more importantly! Let’s go celebrate! We’re in the top four! We can compete in the AJI this year!” Shou grinned. “I know a really good--”

“You! You have a _lot_ to answer for!”

The group turned to see the figure of Nobuyuki Saito lumbering towards them. He jabbed his finger into Seiji’s chest. “Especially _you_! You intentionally powered down another pilot’s suit while you were hundreds of metres in the air! Suguo-kun has a broken arm and concussion! I’m going to make sure your team gets disqualified!”

Seiji swatted Saito’s hand away. “There was nothing intentional about it, Saito! We were in combat! _He_ chose to engage me in the air!”

“ _Professor_ Saito, you impertinent whelp. Suguo-kun only engaged you in the air because you used some sort of modification that gave you an unfair advantage! I’m going to have your suit confiscated. We’re going to tear it apart to find whatever illegal trick you used--”

Seiji bristled, clenching his fists. “Over my dead body, you fat piece of--”

“Now, now. I think we can all stand to be a little more civil about this, can’t we?”

Seiji blinked, looking over at his aunt. Yuki stood nearby, her arms crossed over her lab coat.

“Hikari-sensei! You witnessed this, didn’t you?! This _trash_ is threatening me! Look at his hands!”

Yuki smiled pleasantly, though the expression didn’t reach her eyes, cold behind her rimless glasses. “That ‘trash’ is actually my nephew, Saito- _kun_. And I also witnessed you putting your hand on a student with that little finger poke. If you want me to report a ‘threat’, then I’m also going to report an ‘assault’.”

Saito sputtered. Yuki didn’t give him a chance to respond, instead continuing to speak in a calm, measured tone.

“As for intentionally powering down Sovereign in mid-air, I think anyone can agree that to take down Suguo-kun, Seiji-chan couldn’t afford to pull any punches. In the heat of the moment, he did what any pilot would have done. But again. If you’d like to open up an investigation into Seiji-chan’s motivations, then to be fair, we’ll need to open up an investigation into how Aura was so badly damaged. And how Gladius’ shield was shattered when Seiji could have easily just dodged.”

“This… this isn’t any of your business! Even if he is your nephew. I’m the faculty advisor for Exceed, and my team is now without their captain!”

“And I’m the faculty advisor for ACE 2049-11.” Yuki said, shrugging. “So this is certainly my business.”

“Since when!?”

“Since they became an official team upon qualification. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Saito- _kun_ , I’d like to have a private discussion with my team.” The physician shooed the history professor away with a gesture bordering on flippant; the rotund man stormed off, rudely shoving past a few onlookers. A blonde girl stuck her tongue out at the man as he passed by. She turned towards ACE 2049-11, looking curiously at them. Before she could get closer though, Yuki led them away.

“Come on, pilots. Let’s go talk in the lounge.” Yuki said, smiling.

>>>

In the lounge, the team sat around one of the tables with their new faculty advisor.

“Aunt Yuki, are you sure this is fine?” Seiji asked. “Saito seems like the kind of guy to hold a grudge.”

Yuki rolled her eyes.

“He doesn’t like me anyway. He has the ‘unpleasant authority’ hat trick. Not only is he sexist and racist, but he believes strongly in nepotism. So when I became a full professor on merit rather than through any connections, he voiced his disapproval pretty quickly.” She smirked slightly. “So if being the faculty advisor for your team bothers him, then it’s yet another benefit for me.”

Kaori frowned. “Another benefit? I’m sorry, Hikari-sensei. I’m grateful, but I can’t see how you’d stand to gain anything from being the advisor for our team. We haven’t really accomplished anything, and all of our mobile suits are badly damaged with no sponsor or engineer available to us…”

Yuki grinned, reaching over and pinching Seiji’s cheek. “I’d do anything for my cute nephew. Right, Seiji-chan?”

Seiji grimaced, swatting at Yuki’s hand.

Shou grinned. “Heh. Sounds like you’ve got a tightly knit family, Seiji- _chan_ . Do you think I can come over and meet everyone some time, Seiji- _chan_?”

Even Mayu and Kaori suppressed little smiles at Shou’s needling.

Yuki chuckled. “Anyway, everyone. As Itami-san’s pointed out, your team’s in dire need of an engineer and a sponsor. I don’t have many connections with mobile suit manufacturers, but I can ask around my classes to see if there’s anyone on the engineering track that wants to get involved. There're only sixteen AJI teams at ACE, after all. I think ambitious engineers will be knocking on the door of all four teams that qualified today. For a sponsor, I think you should try the SBA.”

“SBA?” Seiji asked.

“The Sponsorship Bridge Association.” Kaori said, taking out her phone. She brought up the website, and then turned on the holoprojection function to show Seiji. “Their job is to help connect AJI teams with sponsors looking to get involved in mobile suit war games.”

Seiji nodded; he reached out, scrolling down the SBA site. He paused at one name in particular. “...Heh. Small world. Why don’t you guys leave contacting the SBA to me?”

They agreed, and the team adjourned for the day. After seven games and a healthy dose of drama at the end, they were all a little burned out to be thinking about celebrating.

Seiji caught up with Yuki; the two of them were alone in the hallway outside the lounge. “Ah, Aunt Yuki?”

“Hm?”

“...Is this _really_ okay? Nikki and I haven’t seen you at home. Uncle Kaito doesn’t talk about it, but we can tell something’s going on.”

Yuki shook her head, with a little smile. “Whatever’s going on between Kaito and I isn’t something you need to be worried about, Seiji-chan. We both wanted you and Nikki here, and we both want to do everything we can to see you kids succeed.”

Seiji frowned. “...But we want you two to be happy, too--”

Yuki abruptly hugged Seiji, quite intentionally messing up his hair. Seiji flailed, eventually pushing himself away and indignantly smoothing out his uniform and hair.

“Handsome _and_ sweet.” Yuki grinned. “With that kind of charm, I’m sure you’ll get an engineer and sponsor in no time.”

>>>

April 9, 2049 (Friday) 

Seiji walked into PHPT, looking for the now-familiar magenta hair of Yuuna Misaki. He smiled, spotting her in her usual spot at the front of the class. Though he supposed that by now, it was his usual spot, too.

“Morning, Misaki-san.”

Yuuna looked up; she was no longer surprised to see him after sitting with him on Monday and Wednesday, instead favoring him with a happy smile.

“Good morning, Maki-san! Congratulations on qualifying!”

Seiji smiled back at her as he sat down beside her. “Thanks. Barely made it, in the end.”

Yuuna nodded excitedly. “For a new team, the four of you were amazing! I can’t believe you actually made up a strategy on the spot for that beam rifle.”

Seiji blinked. “Oh. You noticed that? Most people haven’t mentioned that, or just assumed it was luck.”

“It makes sense for what you were up against.” Yuuna said, frowning. “It was really unfair of Professor Saito to allow Sovereign to fill in for the other team. The gap between the standard issue Hornets and unsponsored personal suits is actually quite a bit smaller than the gap between your team’s machines and Sovereign…”

Seiji perked up - that was a good segue. “Speaking of sponsorship, Misaki-san. I noticed that you’re on the SBA--”

Yuuna gasped. “Oh! And those maneuvers you pulled off at the end! How did you avoid blacking out?! The G-forces must have been crushing, even with the gravity membrane dampening the effect!”

Seiji smiled slightly. Yuuna was knowledgeable for someone who wasn’t a pilot. “It was close, Misaki-san.”

“You need to be more careful!” Yuuna said, surprisingly stern.

“It was hard to be careful.” Seiji said, shaking his head. He looked at his hands, still remembering the responsiveness and explosive speed that was at his fingertips yesterday. “I’ve never _flown_ like that before. It was like something out of my dreams… I can’t get it out of my head.”

Seiji looked back at Yuuna. She was regarding him with a soft expression, a nostalgic smile.

“Misaki-san…?”

“Hm? Oh, sorry. You just reminded me of someone.” Yuuna said. She looked up; the lecturer arrived a minute late. She quickly launched into the day’s class, cutting off any further conversation between the two second-year students.

>>>

When class ended, Seiji and Yuuna made plans to meet up over the weekend to work together on the term’s first assignment. It was supposed to be a critical analysis of current healthcare resources for mobile suit pilots, meant to be completed in pairs.

“So, we’ll meet up at the campus library on Saturday, then?”

“That’s right, Maki-san. Let me just check the bus schedule…”

There was a murmur from the back of the room as someone walked in, pushing past the flow of students trying to leave the lecture hall. The mumbling wasn’t just due to the disruption in traffic; rather, it was due to the unusual appearance of the student.

Seiji glanced over his shoulder, performing a double take in surprise. The new arrival was another natural blonde, like himself. And she was stunning - the girl could have been a model, with her slender figure, elegant face, and sparkling blue eyes. She seemed to be scanning the room, until she made eye contact with Seiji. Then, with a little smirk, she strode towards the American transfer student, her hips swaying.

“Hey there.” She said, her voice all velvet and smoke as she paused beside Seiji’s seat. Her smirk became flirtatious.

Seiji wasn’t the type to get flustered by this sort of advance. In a way, it was a little like talking to himself. “Hey yourself. A bit late, aren’t you? Class is over.”

“I’m not.” She said, leaning against the desk in front of Seiji. “Actually, I’d say I’m just on time.”

Seiji raised an eyebrow. “Oh? For what?”

“For meeting _you_ , handsome. Nice fight in the qualifiers yesterday.” She purred.

Seiji shrugged. She was coming on strong. There was going to be a ‘sell’ in here, somewhere. “I’m surprised you were watching. Not many people are interested in a rookie team like us.”

Valerie smiled. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m always keeping an eye out for interesting… _frames_.” She said, eyeing Seiji from head to toe. “I’m an engineer. Valerie Belle, first year.”

“Seiji Maki.”

“Good to meet you, Seiji. I’d love to chat about Gladius some time, just you and me. Maybe this weekend? Give me a call.” She took out her phone, casually tapping it against Seiji’s. The request to exchange contact information flashed across the screen; Seiji hit ‘accept’. Valerie pushed off the desk, heading for the door. She turned, winking at Seiji. “No need to follow the ‘three day’ rule before calling me, Seiji. Though, my hope is you aren’t much one for _rules_ anyway…”

Seiji sighed, shaking his head. “Wow. She laid it on a bit thick, didn’t she, Misaki-san? … Hm? Misaki-san?” He turned to his right. Her seat was empty.

“...Huh.”

>>>

April 10, 2049 (Saturday) 

Seiji yawned, stumbling out of his room. He hated mornings, even when he wasn’t jetlagged or hungover. But over the past week, he had done well to establish a routine similar to what he did when he was still living in Queens. Mornings on the weekend needed to start with a run to warm up, followed by the optional PARDA-affiliated self-defense course he had signed up for. After all, if he was serious about being a military pilot, he had to at least get passing scores on physical testing as well.

But before all of that, he needed coffee.

He staggered downstairs, attracted by the smell of the fresh pot. Once again, chemotaxis took over his groggy, half-asleep mind. He felt a vague sense of deja vu as he reached for the pot.

A magazine struck him between the shoulder blades, snapping him awake. He whirled.

“What the hell, Nikki--?!”

Nikki was fuming. And her two friends from last week, Akane and Megumi, were visiting again. And this time prepared, as Megumi casually snapped a photo with her phone.

“Put on a _shirt_ , you slob! And is _this_ why you two insisted on coming over here in the morning again?!” Nikki shouted accusingly.

“What’s the problem? He’s pretty.” Megumi said.

“But he’s _my brother_.” Nikki protested.

Akane blinked. “...Oh. _Oh!_ I didn’t know you two had _that_ kind of relationship. We’re really sorry, Nikki-chan. We’ll back off.”

“...Wait. What do you mean by _that_ kind of relationship…?”

Seiji made a face, returning to the room dressed in his workout clothes. He poured himself a thermos, shoving it into his backpack. He made his way to the door before speaking up. “That’s pretty gross, Nikki. I’m sorry I can’t return your feelings. It wouldn’t be right.”

Nikki blinked. Her jaw dropped. She turned beet red.

“OUT! GET OUT!”

Seiji laughed, slipping out the door and narrowly dodging the sofa cushions and other objects thrown his way.

>>>

**SM: I’m almost at the library - see you soon?**

**YM: Oh! You’re here? I have a study room on the second floor, 2201.**

Seiji headed to the second floor and found 2201; he let himself in. “Hey, Misaki-san.”

He paused, caught off-guard by her appearance. She was in casual clothes rather than her uniform - ACE students weren’t required to be in uniform on weekends unless they were attending a school event. Of course, Seiji had seen her in ‘civvies’ that one time outside _The Right Stuff_ , but he had been a little distracted by the jerk from Exceed. And after that, she had an apron on for her part time job as a barista. Today, there wasn’t much else to steal his attention away from the cute grey and pink sweater dress and leggings she picked for the day.

“Hello, Maki-san.” Yuuna said, stealing a glance at Seiji before looking back down at her tablet, fidgeting with her stylus.

“Something wrong?” Seiji sat down kitty-corner to her, taking out his own materials.

“Ah… I’m just a little surprised.” Yuuna murmured. “I thought you’d have other plans.”

“Like what?” Seiji asked, frowning as he swiped at his tablet to find the assignment.

Yuuna glanced at Seiji again, briefly pursing her lips. “...I thought you’d be discussing your _core_ with that first year engineer.”

Seiji blinked; he looked up at Yuuna. She had left in a hurry yesterday, while he was talking to Valerie. And now, he detected that hint of bitterness in her voice, the beginnings of a small pout on her pretty face. She was jealous. And she was _cute_.

Seiji shrugged. “I’m not so full of myself that I’d believe a girl would come after me like that, Misaki-san. Made me a little suspicious of what she was really after.”

Yuuna sighed, smiling slightly. “Y-yeah. She did come on a little strong, didn’t she?”

“Mm. Besides, _she_ isn’t really my type.” Seiji smiled at Yuuna. 

That had the desired effect. She blushed, stammering. “Ah… w-we should get started, Maki-san.”

“Sure.”

The two students got to work. They were fairly in sync as they worked on their paper, quickly picking the topic of current treatment approaches to post-traumatic stress disorder in mobile suit pilots. The only hiccup they ran into was getting the appropriate medical journal - there was a problem with the server, so they had to get the hard copy. Seiji had plucked it off the ‘to be reshelved’ cart, much to Yuuna’s chagrin. She glanced at the journal for the umpteenth time as they finished up, still nervous about bending the rules.

Seiji smiled slightly. She was so straight-laced that it was endearing. He sighed, stretching as they put the last touches on the paper. “Nice to get this done so far ahead of time, isn’t it?”

“Y-yeah. Can… Can we put this back, now?” Yuuna asked anxiously.

Seiji nodded. They packed up, leaving the study room with the journal in hand. “Sure. What are you so worried about, anyway?”

“Rules are there for a reason, Maki-san.” Yuuna replied. “I don’t want to inconvenience anyone unnecessarily. What if we get back to the cart and find out that everything’s been reshelved already?”

“I’d be surprised if any library worked that fast. It’s not a big deal--...” Seiji came to a stop beside the cart. It was empty; everything was reshelved already. He looked at Yuuna.

Yuuna crossed her arms; she frowned at Seiji.

“...Heh. How about that?” Seiji said, sheepishly. He glanced at the barcode, and then at the top of a nearby bookcase. “Looks like it belongs right on this shelf, anyway.”

Yuuna sighed. “I suppose we should ask for help.”

“Weren’t you the one worried about inconveniencing someone? I’ll get it.” Seiji said, eyeballing the distance. He’d have to jump a little.

“That… looks a little high, Maki-san. We should at least get a step ladder.”

“It’s fine! I can almost reach it anyway.”

>>>

“Honestly, Seiji-chan. Spraining your ankle in the _library_?” Yuki grumbled, lightly chopping the blonde’s head. “And making poor Misaki-san drag you all the way over to the clinic.”

“Aheh. Sorry, Aunt Yuki.” Seiji chuckled from his seat on the exam table.

“He didn’t make me, Hikari-sensei.” Yuuna said. She sighed, shaking her head. “I made _him_. He wanted to ride home on his motorcycle without getting his ankle checked!”

“He fulfils some blonde stereotypes, unfortunately.” Yuki said. She reached into a drawer, tossing some athletic tape to Seiji. “Luckily, it’s not bad. Just wrap it up and take it slow on the way home, Seiji-chan. And take it easy for a couple days.”

Yuki’s phone buzzed.

“Ah, sorry. I have to go. Duty calls.” Yuki left the office.

Seiji reached down, starting to wrap up his ankle. He looked up in surprise as Yuuna caught his wrist. She took a seat on the stool in front of him, shaking her head.

“Not like that, Maki-san. Here.” Yuuna worked quickly, taping up Seiji’s ankle expertly. “I used to play a lot of tennis, so I’m familiar with this kind of thing. We didn’t have a team manager, so I did double-duty.”

“Ah… Thanks.”

She continued working as she spoke. “So, how are you liking Isokaze so far?”

“I like it a lot.” Seiji said. “My sister’s adjusting well, and things are looking up with the team. Aunt Yuki agreed to be our faculty advisor.”

“Oh! That’s great! Do you have a sponsor, yet?” Yuuna tore off another long strip of tape, wrapping it around his ankle in a figure-eight that supported the joint nicely. “If you need help, I’m actually part of the SBA.”

“Heh. Funny enough, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.” Seiji said. “I saw your name on the website.”

“It’s no problem, Maki-san! That’s what the SBA’s there for! I’d be happy to put you in touch with a sponsor.” Yuuna finished taping up his ankle. “How does that feel?”

Seiji moved his foot; it felt quite a bit better. “Good. Really good, actually.”

Yuuna looked up at him, smiling brightly. “Good!.. ...Oh..”

Seiji looked down at her; she was close to him, and blushing again. She was still holding onto his ankle.

“...You… You know, if you keep holding on like that, a guy could get the wrong idea.” Seiji murmured, doing his best impression of Yuuna from last week at the cafe.

Yuuna startled, quickly letting go. Her blush went from pink to crimson. “I… I wasn’t…!”

Seiji flashed his most charming grin at her.

Yuuna smacked his knee, giggling. “You…!”

Seiji chuckled. He tugged his shoe back on, standing up gingerly. “Hey, how about that. No bus for me.”

Yuuna stood up as well, nodding. “Great! Then, I guess I’ll see you in class?”

“Why don’t I give you a lift home, Misaki-san? It’s the least I can do for my ankle and your help with a sponsor.”

“If it’s not too much trouble…”

>>>

Yuuna followed Seiji to the parking lot. The pre-medical student watched the blonde pilot’s gait closely. He seemed to be walking comfortably; her ulterior motive for agreeing to the ride home was so she could make sure he was actually fit to drive with his injury, as minor as it was. She found that she already considered the transfer student a friend, even though they really only spent time together in class. Although, there _was_ today. And that time at the cafe. And the frequent text conversations he started - conversations that usually made her laugh, and made her keep an eye on her phone just to make sure she didn’t miss the next message.

He wasn’t the type of boy she thought she’d be attracted to, not by a long shot. Too flashy, and too casual with that winning smile of his. Seemingly the typical ‘cocky pilot’ that her brother (ironically) warned her about. But there was more to Seiji than his looks and piloting skill. He had thrown caution to the wind to protect Kaori and Shou, despite only being on their team for a week. And he treated Yuuna like he didn’t know or care about her past, even though he _must_ have noticed the way people eyed her askance. And then there was the confrontation with Tanaka last week.

But, he didn’t push. He was just _him_ . An outgoing, friendly boy who flirted with her just enough to make her heart skip a beat, but not enough to make her uncomfortable. It had been a long time since she had gotten to feel so _normal_ at school.

“Here we are.” Seiji said, nodding at his motorcycle. He flashed that smile at her again. This one - she was starting to keep track of all his various smiles and expressions - was more pride than anything else. “Here’s the spare helmet. Sorry about the glitter - usually Nikki uses it.”

Yuuna nodded; she slipped it on. “It’s a beautiful bike, Maki-san. I haven’t seen this design before…”

“It’s a retrofitted GSX-1000 from the early 2000’s.” Seiji said, sitting astride the sport bike. He put on his own helmet. “Before I rebuilt it, it actually had a gasoline engine.”

Yuuna got on behind him. She frowned; she couldn’t feel any handles to her sides or behind her seat. “Er… What am I supposed to hold onto?”

Seiji’s voice came through the helmet’s comm. It was tinged with amusement. “Me, actually.”

Yuuna blinked. Her eyes widened; she felt her face grow unbearably hot. “This… this isn’t such a good idea! M-m-maybe I’ll take the bus after all!”

“Are you sure? Didn’t the last one just leave?”

Yuuna looked at the helmet’s HUD - the NAI helpfully displayed the bus schedule, showing her that Seiji was indeed correct. “Er.. ...yes.”

Hesitantly, she slipped her arms around Seiji’s waist, and they were on their way. As Seiji sped through the streets of Isokaze, Yuuna spoke to fill the silence - and to distract herself from the warmth of his back, and how _solid_ he felt. She started to understand how his body was able to tolerate some of the maneuvers he pulled off in Gladius.

“We’re passing over the Sunset Bridge, now.” Yuuna said.

“Isn’t this called the Suwa Bridge?”

“Not by the locals.” Yuuna said, smiling. She glanced at the time. “Right around now, you’ll see. Just look to the west.”

“...Oh. Oh, wow…” Seiji murmured. The western sky was dyed red and orange; the gentle peak of the bridge gave a perfect, unobstructed view of the sunset over the western sea.

“I know, right?” Yuuna sighed softly, letting herself relax against Seiji as she took in the beautiful sight. Even though she grew up in the town, she never grew tired of the scenery. “Isokaze’s a pretty special place.”

When they reached her home, Yuuna found she was a little reluctant to let go of Seiji. She got off the motorcycle, handing the spare helmet back to him. She tilted her head curiously; the blonde pilot was looking down the street in surprise.

“Is something wrong?”

“Ah, no. I actually live pretty close by.” Seiji said, pointing. “It makes sense, though. We took the same bus to get to ACE on my first day.”

“Oh. Then, maybe I’ll see you around the neighborhood?”

“Hope so!” Only Seiji’s eyes were visible through the visor, but they seemed to sparkle in lieu of an obvious smile. Another expression for the books. He blinked, apparently looking at something on his HUD. He glanced at Yuuna, shaking his head. “That first year, Valerie. She’s texting me about Gladius.”

Yuuna frowned despite her best efforts to keep her expression under control. “She’s rather insistent, isn’t she?”

“Like I said, not my type.” Seiji shrugged, starting up his motorcycle and backing down Yuuna’s driveway.

“...What _is_ your type?” Yuuna asked, impulsively. “...Ah! If… if it’s okay for me to ask.”

He paused. He looked back at her. His eyes sparkled again, this time enough to make Yuuna’s heart race.

“If I had to pick, then I’d say the girl next door.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're reading this, thanks for continuing to give this a chance. ACE Academy is certainly a lesser-known fandom, and for those that have read/played the VN, you know how many changes I've made already in this. I'm not saying that the VN 'needs' these changes - just that for what I had in mind for 'Endless Sky', I wanted a few more elements. I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't really like the source content.
> 
> In terms of all this Higgs-Boson and gravity membrane stuff, I think a general rule of most science fiction is that the basis of the world needs some 'magic' for everything to work. In Star Trek, it's the warp core matter/antimatter reactor (plus a bunch of other stuff, of course). In Mass Effect, element zero. In Star Wars, the 'hyperdrive' and the Force. And so on, and so forth. I know I enjoy my fiction more when the pseudoscience has some basis to it.
> 
> As for our main characters. If you've played the game, you know Yuuna's backstory. If you haven't, you'll see. I've added a little more in and around her situation. She's a sweet, earnest girl, but has reasons to try to build up walls.
> 
> Seiji's an incorrigible flirt (as we'll see) but does this as easily as breathing. He too creates distance/walls.


	3. Velocity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The neural-adaptive interface, or NAI, was the first contribution of a rebuilt America to the world. The NAI revolutionized mobile suit piloting by allowing limited direct communication between the operating system and the pilot’s mind. These ‘fly-by-neuron’ interfaces were seen as the next natural step past traditional ‘fly-by-wire’ technology and drastically improved pilot reaction time and spatial awareness. The NAI gave pilots an unprecedented sense of ‘becoming’ their mobile suits._
> 
> _The most important feature of the NAI however, is not the upload and download of information directly to the user’s brain. Rather, it is the artificial sensory habituation or ‘neural throttling’ that occurs as a pilot acclimates to his or her machine. Modern NAIs automatically throttle the neural bandwidth to a level tolerable to the individual pilot, necessitating the continued use of holo-haptic interfaces and AI assisted piloting to compensate for the drop in performance. These hybrid systems are used with good reason._
> 
> _Early ‘unthrottled’ prototypes resulted in sensory overload of test-pilots, frequently leading to irritability, headaches, and with repeated use, permanent disability or death._  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UHC - Ultracompact Hydrogen Cell (power source/battery for mobile suits/other technology)  
> NAI - Neural-adaptive Interface  
> SBA - Sponsorship Bridge Association  
> AJI - All-Japan Intercollegiate League  
> EU - European Union  
> PARDA - Pacific Rim Defense Alliance  
> PAC - Pan-Asia Combine  
> MMA - Mixed martial arts  
> chunibyo - Colloquialism. Eighth-grader syndrome, typically used to describe early teens who have delusions of grandeur, who so desperately want to stand out that they have convinced themselves they have hidden knowledge or secret powers.  
> Super Sentai - Known in North America as Power Rangers

April 13, 2049 (Tuesday) 

“So, no luck, huh?” Shou asked. It was Tuesday, after class. He and Seiji were heading to their team’s hangar. Now that they were an official AJI squadron, they were entitled to their own space. While it would make repairs and maintenance easier, things were still going to be prohibitively difficult without a sponsor. Their first official match was on Friday afternoon against ‘Claw of the Wild’, a team led by one of Shou’s housemates. As things stood, it would take a minor miracle for ACE 2049-11 to even get Kaori’s badly damaged Aura running well enough for the match.

Seiji shook his head. “No. My SBA contact is working hard, too. I told her on Saturday that we were looking, but she somehow got me two interviews on Sunday and a third on Monday. All of them basically said the same thing, though.”

He sighed. On Sunday, the Midori Corporation and Stryker International were barely polite, all but shoving him and Yuuna out the door. On Monday, Hayabusa at least heard them out, but the message was clear - they had no interest in sponsoring a newly qualified team. Especially one that had drawn enough ire from an ACE Academy professor that he was actively calling every manufacturer with an office in Isokaze to badmouth them. Yuuna had taken it even harder than Seiji.

_‘I should have figured, Misaki-san. We’re too much of an unknown, and even though Saito’s a jerk, he’s still one of the longest serving instructors at ACE. They’ll trust him over a team with some American transfer on it.’_

_‘You can’t think like that, Maki-san! You’re a great pilot. And so are Itami-san, Shinjirou-san, and Akemi-san!’_

_‘Thanks for trying. Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out. We’re going to compete, even if we’re reduced to flying ACE’s Hornets--’_

_‘You have a good team! And more importantly, you’re good_ **_people_ ** _. This is totally unfair! I’m going to get you a sponsor, Maki-san!’_

_‘...Heh. I really like it when you get fired up like that, Misaki-san.’_

_‘You’re not going to say something condescending like ‘it’s really cute’, are you?’_

_‘No. I just like earnest, passionate people. Though, now that you mention it…’_

About the only good thing that came from the interviews was the flustered blush he had managed to earn from Yuuna.

Shou clapped Seiji’s shoulder. “Hey. Cheer up, Bro. Let’s just do some work on our machines. Even if we can’t get a sponsor, we should still make repairs, right?”

“Repairs that would be easier with an engineer.” Seiji muttered, his mood worsening further. Saito’s reach was longer than he thought. The other three new teams had gotten engineers, or even multiple engineers. But no one was beating down ACE 2049-11’s door as Aunt Yuki thought they would. Based on the condescending smiles and sneers from Saito, this was clearly his doing as well. “This is my fault, Shou. I stuck it to Saito, and now he’s sticking it to the entire team. I should have just kept my head down.”

“If you did that, then we wouldn’t have qualified at all.” Shou said. “C’mon. We’ll do some work, then get some grub.”

“Sure. I can’t stay out too long, though. Nikki’s expecting me to pick her up after she’s done with her cooking club.”

>>>

Seiji returned to the hangar later in the evening after sharing a meal with Shou in the Pilot’s Lounge. He had forgotten his phone in Gladius’ cockpit.

 _‘Nikki was supposed to text me when she needed a ride, too.’_ Seiji thought. _‘Shouldn’t have missed it though. Pretty sure her club is still… ...what’s this?’_

He walked into the team’s hangar. It was quiet and dark - save for the glow of the holographic display of the maintenance console situated at the base of his mobile suit. The blonde frowned.

_‘I thought I turned that off before leaving…’_

He crept closer, careful to stick to the shadows cast by the light of the display. He could just make out a lone figure at the console, typing away and manipulating the projected holographic display with their hands. He couldn’t see their face - the dark hooded sweater prevented that.

_‘Would Saito really stoop this low? Sending someone in to sabotage us?’_

Seiji moved closer still. He didn’t want to spook them; he wanted to see what they were doing to Gladius to make sure he could _un_ do it. He watched from a short distance away as the saboteur brought up the interface for core maintenance. To his surprise, they weren’t making any changes - instead they were downloading as much information as they could.

“Come on…” They - rather, _she_ \- whispered, trying to urge on the data transfer. The console beeped. “Finally!”

Seiji caught her wrist as she reached to unplug her device. He smiled thinly. “Should have invested in a faster drive.”

He hauled her closer and yanked the hood of her sweater down. He blinked as the face of Valerie Belle, the first year engineering student, was illuminated by the light of the console.

Her momentary shock disappeared on recognizing Seiji. She flashed a grin at him, looking up at him through her long lashes. She twisted her wrist futilely in Seiji’s grip.

“Mm… strong. Should have known you’d like it _rough_ …”

“Sometimes.” Seiji replied, with an equally flirtatious smile. In the next instant, his smile vanished. He glared at Valerie. “Never with anyone that tries to sabotage my machine, though. Don’t try to play a player.”

Keeping his grip on her wrist, he reached for the ‘emergency assistance’ button on the console. Valerie gasped.

“W-wait! I wasn’t trying to sabotage Gladius!”

“Then what _were_ you doing?” Seiji said, suspiciously.

“When you didn’t call me this weekend - _rude_ , by the way - I thought this would be my only chance to study Gladius’ power core.”

“And did you learn anything?” Seiji asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Valerie frowned. “First of all, the operating system itself seems to have multiple layers of security over the core - both hardware and software - so I can’t just ‘ask’ Gladius why you had that power reserve.”

She started to point at the readout. She glanced at Seiji’s hand, still on her wrist. She arched a fine eyebrow, her wry smile returning. “Mm. Strong grip, Captain Rogers. But now’s not really the time for me to enjoy it.”

Seiji let go slowly, uncertain if he could trust her to not bolt. She didn’t. Instead, she reached into the holographic projection, using the interface to directly manipulate the wireframe image of Gladius.

She ‘grabbed’ the power core and dismissed the rest of the wireframe projection, leaving the spherical image alone over the console. “And on top of that, your core scans weird.”

“That’s not a very technical term.” Seiji said.

“It’s more concise than ‘combined electromagnetic, IR, and quantum shielding of an unknown design’.” Valerie shrugged. “It’s blocking the external scanners of this maintenance console from telling me anything more, either. Without more work, I can’t do anything other than tell you the make, model, and condition of your UHC. I can probably at least exchange that old-model UHC you have for a modern one, once you get one. I just can’t tell you how exactly Gladius is utilizing the battery or where that power boost came from during the last match.”

Seiji paused, catching Valerie’s choice of words. “Hold on. ‘More’ work?”

“Your calibrations were off, flyboy.” Valerie grinned. She swiped the projection, bringing up the current simulated performance.

“I don’t like it when people mess with my settings, Valerie-- Wait...You boosted efficiency by at least fifteen percent. Across the board… That’s ridiculous.” Seiji mumbled, looking over the numbers. “I didn’t have a sponsor in the US, so I had to rely just on tuning the crap out of everything. I _thought_ I was getting everything I could out of Gladius!”

Valerie shrugged. She eyed Seiji slowly, head to toe, as she undressed him with her eyes. “Some things need a woman’s _touch_.”

Seiji wasn’t buying the act. He just crossed his arms. “You can spare me the flirting, Valerie. What are you trying to sell?”

Valerie’s lascivious smile disappeared into ether, replaced instead with serious interest. “Not selling, Seiji. I was thinking of a trade. Your team still needs an engineer, doesn’t it? Word around the department is that toad Saito is threatening to make the life of any engineering student who signs on with you miserable. I’m thinking that I join your team, and in exchange you let me try to figure out what’s happening with your power core. No offense, but a world where a mobile suit like Gladius takes down a monster like Sovereign shouldn’t exist.”

“You’re not worried about Saito?” Seiji asked.

Valerie shook her head. “I’m here on exchange from the EU. There’s nothing he can do to me; I’m not planning to do any work in PARDA after I graduate.”

“...And why the interest in Gladius’ core?” Seiji asked, still suspicious.

“Professional curiosity.” Valerie said, looking up at Gladius. She smiled eagerly; it was the first sincere smile Seiji had seen on her face. “You kicked the crap out of one of the best machines ACE has to offer when it looked like you were down for the count. I _need_ to find out how.”

Seiji nodded slowly. “...I’ll have to talk to the team, first. And we don’t even have a sponsor yet, so we can’t provide you with materials or equipment beyond the standard issue ACE stuff.”

Valerie perked up. She batted her eyelashes. “So that’s a tentative yes, then?”

“With a long probationary period. And close supervision.”

“Close, huh?” Valerie stepped closer, smiling up at him. “As long as you’re the one supervising, Captain Rogers.”

“Captain Rogers?” Seiji asked.

“Blonde. Tall. Dashing. From New York. Therefore… Captain America.” Valerie shrugged, grinning.

“Hm. So now you’re trying the ‘hot and nerdy’ thing?” Seiji said, completely unbothered by the proximity.

Valerie frowned. “...You know, your lack of response is almost becoming insulting.”

Seiji smirked. “Like I said, don’t try to play a player, Valerie.”

“Who’s the nerdy one now? That’s a _Firefly_ quote.” Valerie laughed.

“Fair.” Seiji shrugged, smiling as he turned off the maintenance console. “No insult intended. I just need you to understand that Gladius is special. No amount of flirting is going to make me forgive you if you screw anything up. No matter how hot you are.”

Valerie nodded seriously.

“Of course!” She then smirked, sashaying over to him. She stroked his forearm. One more try. “So… You think I’m hot?”

“Anyone would.” Seiji said, point blank. He met her eyes directly, brashly. He then gave her the head to toe once over, just like she did to him - undressing her with his eyes. His little smirk became a triumphant grin as she flushed a rosy tinge, looking away.

“You…” Valerie shook her head. She laughed. “ _La vache!_ It’s like trying to flirt with _myself_ , isn’t it?”

“I win, Valerie.” Seiji grinned.

“You won _this round_ , Cap. Walk me home? I live in the dorms, and we should talk a little more about what I can do for Gladius.” Valerie said, heading to the door.

“Sure. Only to your door, though. I don’t put out that easy, so don’t get any funny ideas.”

Valerie chuckled and winked. “Oh, the thoughts are plenty funny, sweetie.”

Seiji rolled his eyes. He escorted Valerie to her dorm room, his phone forgotten in the cockpit of Gladius. As the hangar door closed, the device started to buzz insistently with text messages from a certain little sister.

>>>

April 14, 2049 (Wednesday) 

Classes at ACE were over for the day. There was still some activity on campus of course - students finishing up their club activities, studying, or otherwise just hanging out. Seiji found himself alone at ACE’s well-equipped gym, wearing a pair of MMA gloves and working on one of the heavy bags there. He struck away with well-practiced punches, kicks, elbows, and knees, using PARDA’s Standard Combative System (SCS). While students at both ACE and CINY, his previous school, weren’t required to learn it, it was strongly encouraged for anyone serious about a military or law enforcement career after graduation.

Seiji breathed sharply through pursed lips, gripping the bag with both hands as he leapt and drove his knee into the synthetic leather. Working out like this was good. It let him shut his brain off and forget about his worries. First of all, Nikki had given him the cold shoulder this morning for some reason. And then he had to deal with Saitou’s smug face during class today. And of course, it didn’t look like ACE 2049-11 was going to get a sponsor before their match on Friday. Of the entire team, he had come the closest with Yuuna’s help - at least he had managed to get in-person meetings.

He backed up, his hands coming up. He slipped an imaginary punch, blocked an imaginary knee strike. He moved back into range, driving elbows and short body blows into the bag. Yuuna really was taking their failure to find a sponsor harder than he was. After their meeting with Hayabusa, she hadn’t spoken to him again beyond a short text promising that she’d find a sponsor before the week was out.

Seiji smiled slightly, his left hand impacting the bag twice with two sharp snaps. She was a _really_ pretty girl. But the thing that struck him most about her was how straightforward she was. Everything from her chosen career path in medicine, to the way she took on ACE 2049-11’s sponsor problem, to the way she hated breaking rules, spoke of the quintessential ‘good girl’. But there were moments where he’d catch something underneath all of that; she was holding something back.

But so was he. He flirted with her… though, he did that with Valerie and Kaori, too. But it never went beyond that for any of them. Valerie, because the two of them seemed to be doing it for sport. Kaori, because he just liked getting a rise out of her.

And Yuuna…

He paused in front of the heavy bag, holding his stance but not moving. She was different. He found he wanted to _know_ her. He wanted to know what was under the surface; he wanted to know what each of her expressions and quirks meant. But he had the sense that if he got involved with her, it wouldn’t be just a fling. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that--

“Maki-san?”

Seiji looked over to the side of the combatives area of the gym. Yuuna stood there, watching him with a little smile on her face.

“Oh, Misaki-san!!” Seiji smiled, tabling his internal discussion for another time. “Sorry. How long were you standing there?”

“Just a few minutes.” Yuuna said, walking over to stand in front of him. She looked at the punching bag curiously. “You look different when you’re training. Like nothing exists outside of what you’re doing. I was wondering why you weren’t checking your phone. Luckily, I saw you from the window.”

“Ah. Sorry.” Seiji said. 

Yuuna shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I got to see a different side of you, Maki-san. I liked it.”

Seiji blinked. He coughed, covering his mouth and face with a gloved hand to hide his faint blush. While he was pretty invulnerable to the brazen flirting and seduction Valerie threw at him, there was something so _sincere_ about Yuuna.

“Maki-san? Can I get you some water?” Yuuna asked, thankfully oblivious.

“Ahem. No, thanks. I’m fine. So, is this a social call, or did something happen?” Seiji asked.

Yuuna perked up. Her smile turned into a brilliant grin. “I found you a sponsor!”

“Seriously?!”

Yuuna nodded. “Yes! They’ll be coming tomorrow to help with repairs and modifications. Everything should be done before Friday--Ah!”

She was interrupted by Seiji pulling her into an abrupt hug. He let out an exhilarated whoop as he picked her up off the floor, spinning in a full circle before setting her back down on her feet. “This is amazing! I was so worried. I was wondering if we’d be able to compete again; Kaori’s machine is barely running, and… Misaki-san?”

Yuuna’s eyes flitted to the ground; she was a very fetching shade of carmine. “Er… yes. I’m really glad things worked out, Maki-san. If you need an engineer, the representative from Dasshu said they’d help with that, too.”

“Ah. We’ve got that covered. Valerie’s already signed on.”

“...Oh.” Yuuna mumbled. “I guess she’s going to be spending a lot of time around you, then-- I mean, you and the team.”

Seiji smiled, sensing an opening. “Well. You know, don’t most collegiate teams have a manager, too? Someone to liaise with sponsors and work on logistics? I’d hate to ask you to do more, but since you were the one to contact them anyway…”

Yuuna perked up, smiling up at him. “I’d love to! I’d…”

She trailed off. After all, Seiji still had his arms around her. She didn’t protest; didn’t make any move to push him away. Instead, she just stared at him breathlessly. Her pupils were dilated; her cheeks rosy. She tilted her chin up to say something more, but instead fell silent.

For Seiji’s part, he might have let go, if it weren’t for the shift of her weight against him; the way her eyes started to drift closed. The subtle cues brought back the internal dialogue he tabled earlier with a single thought:

_‘I really want to kiss this girl right now.’_

Yuuna’s phone started ringing. She jumped; he let go. She glanced down at the screen. “T-that’s Dasshu. I should take this, Maki-san. They’re probably calling to ask for details about your team’s hangar and machines. See you tomorrow? In class?”

“...Yeah. You bet, Misaki-san.”

He watched her nearly run headlong into another punching bag in her haste to leave. He couldn’t blame her. After all, he himself could still feel the warmth of the impromptu embrace; he could still feel the last few centimetres between their lips shrinking before her phone rang.

He shook his head with a small smile. He raised his hands, returning to his training with energy renewed only in part by the sponsorship news.

>>>

April 15, 2049 (Thursday) 

The members of ACE 2049-11 gathered in the office at the back of their private hangar, waiting for the technicians from their new sponsor to arrive. Shou turned to Seiji, asking for the third time in the past hour.

“So, Bro… Who’s going to be our sponsor again?” The brunette still had disbelief written all over his face at their sudden salvation.

Seiji chuckled. “Still Dasshu, Shou.”

Valerie nodded eagerly from her seat, swiping through the manifest for the impending delivery. 

“It better be! Have you guys seen the stuff they’re giving us? This is going to be _awesome_.” She paused, spreading her fingers apart on the screen to zoom in on something. “There’s even a C-130 Lancer in this shipment!... Hm. Wonder if it comes in blue, though…”

Mayu frowned. “I’m not sure that’s an upgrade over my Impulse, Valerie. The C-130 is similar to the beam rifle that Sovereign uses. The range is good for an assault-rifle type weapon, but nothing close to what I’m already using…”

Valerie’s flashed a cunning grin. “I agree, Mayu-Mayu. I don’t plan on giving this particular beauty to Deep Sky…”

Kaori, seated at the head of the boardroom style table, activated the office’s holoprojector with a gesture. Footage of their upcoming opponents played over the table, complete with audio from the pilots’ comms.

“Anyway, while we’re waiting for Dasshu, we should talk about Claw of the Wild.” Kaori said, nodding at the projection. ACE 2049-11 had been so busy trying to repair their machines without a sponsor that they hadn’t really strategized. “Claw’s not a bad team, but they aren’t considered elite either. They usually end up ranked between sixth to tenth out of a field of sixteen here at ACE.”

Shou pointed at the lead mobile suit, a heavily modified MI-18 Hornet. It was barely recognizable - the sleek machine sported additional armor plates and upgraded jump jets. On top of that, the usual MI-18 armament (beam rifle and sword) had been replaced by matching ‘Tora’ wrist-mounted claw weapons.

“That’s the captain of the team, Tatsuo Kimura. He’s actually one of my roommates. Awesome guy, really talented pilot.” Shou said. “And the best part--”

The sound system of the holoprojector blared to life. “FEAR NOT! I, TATSUO-SAMA, WILL AVENGE YOU! THE CLAWS OF JUSTICE STRIKE!”

Seiji, Valerie and Mayu stared in disbelief at the holoprojection, and then at Shou and Kaori. The three were new to ACE, and hadn’t witnessed the spectacle of Claw of the Wild yet. Kaori grimaced.

“...It’s enough to make me consider transferring schools.” Kaori muttered. “I’m not even on his team, and I’m embarrassed.”

“What are you talking about?! It’s _so_ cool.” Shou grinned.

“It’s… something.” Seiji allowed, suppressing his laughter. “Anyway, it’s pretty impressive. He’s fast enough to defend a two-on-one.”

Claw’s remaining two members were engaged in a two-on-two against the remaining members of the other team. Seiji raised an eyebrow. They were also in heavily-modified Hornets, but didn’t look half as effective as their captain. They were barely holding their own in the two on two. It actually looked like they were about to lose, when Tatsuo took down each of his opponents in quick succession. Tatsuo wasn’t just fast enough to defend a two-on-one; he was powerful enough to _win_. He cut across to the lane between beacons four and one with remarkable speed, comparable to Gladius at full flight.

The other team was immediately taken down despite leading on points; the match was over.

“If it weren’t for Kimura, Claw would be at the bottom of the rankings.” Kaori said. “Their entire strategy is based around stalling for time while he mops up at the blockade between the second and third beacon, and then driving the remaining enemies to him.”

“How do teams take him down?” Seiji asked.

“Usually at range. It’s a tall order, though.” Kaori gestured again, rewinding to the first skirmish in the lane between the second and third beacons. “The rest of his team plays the support role perfectly, even if their individual skills aren’t close to Kimura’s.”

Mayu nodded. “They’re screening for Kimura while they charge at their opponents. I wouldn’t have a clear shot.”

“They play the same way every time.” Kaori said, rolling her eyes. “Kimura spouts off some _chunibyo_ crap, and then they charge in. It’s aggravating how it actually _works_ half the time. Most teams need to go at least two on one against Kimura to stand a chance, and even then it’s a gamble.”

Valerie rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “...Then, why not make it a three on one?”

“Then whoever tries to run the blockade would be facing down a one on three.” Shou shook his head. “The other three guys are my roommates, too. They’re not the best, but they’re not _that_ bad. It would be like letting three starving dogs chase down a rabbit.”

Valerie smirked, glancing at Seiji. “...Well, we _do_ have a bunny, here. _Usagi…_ Usa… USA. It’s perfect!”

Seiji chuckled. “I’m happy to play bait. But Shou’s right. I’m not sure I’d last long enough in a one on three fight.”

“I’ll make sure you _last_ plenty long enough, flyboy.” Valerie winked. “Besides. To have a fight, they have to catch you, first. With the stuff Dasshu’s bringing, it shouldn’t be a problem. ...Oh! Speak of the Devil…”

A large truck with Dasshu’s logo emblazoned on the side beeped rhythmically as it backed up into the open door of ACE 2049-11’s hangar.

“...Oh. Who’s the girl?” Valerie asked, pointing at the magenta-haired student holding a tablet and waving the truck in.

“Yuuna Misaki. She’s a friend of mine and my contact in the SBA.” Seiji said.

“Mm. Pretty. Pretty nice figure, too.” Valerie smirked knowingly at Seiji.

“It’s not like that, Valerie.” Seiji chuckled. “Anyway, I asked if she’d be willing to be our manager as well, and she--... Guys?”

Shou, Kaori, and Mayu were exchanging surprised glances.

“What’s wrong?”

Before they could answer him, Yuuna stepped into the office with one of the technicians from Dasshu.

“Maki-san, everything’s ready. We’ll need Akemi-san and Belle-san to start.” She looked at Valerie, giving the first-year engineering student a polite smile. “You wanted to start with Deep Sky, didn’t you Belle-san?”

Valerie nodded, starting to step forward.

“Ah... Misaki-san.” Kaori fidgeted awkwardly. To Seiji’s surprise, the fiery redhead looked _uncertain_. That was unusual. “...Sorry for all the trouble our team’s putting you through.”

Seiji performed a double-take. Kaori apologizing for anything was even more unusual.

“Y-Yeah. I know this has to be hard for you, so if you need to back out from being our manager or something…” Shou mumbled.

Yuuna bit her lip. Her knuckles turned white on the tablet she held, her eyes flicked from Seiji to the tablet as she struggled to maintain a polite smile. “It’s totally fine. It’s fine. Anyway--”

Valerie gave Yuuna a winning grin that looked remarkably like Seiji’s; ACE 2049-11’s new manager blinked, taken slightly aback. Particularly when Valerie casually took her arm, leading her out of the office and extracting her from the awkward moment. “Anyway, you can just call me Valerie, sweetie. Come on! Show me what sweet Dasshu goodies you’ve brought for me~?”

“Er… O-okay…?” Yuuna stammered, being led away.

Seiji frowned at Kaori and Shou. “What was that all about? You guys were talking to her like she was made out of glass.”

“Are you and Misaki-san close, Bro?” Shou asked.

“We’re… friends.” Seiji said.

“It’s not really our place to tell her story, Seiji.” Kaori said, after a moment of contemplation. “I think all I can really say right now is that if she’s gotten this involved in a Windshear team for your sake, she _definitely_ thinks of you as a friend. An important one, at that.”

“I hope so.” Seiji looked out the window of the office. “Mind if I head home, guys? Valerie mentioned that they won’t get to Gladius until tomorrow morning anyway, even if they pull an all-nighter. I should probably check on my sister.”

Shou blinked. “Is she okay?”

Seiji shrugged. “Not sure. Ever since Wednesday morning, she’s been pretty irritable…”

>>>

Seiji returned home, parking his motorcycle in the car port. Apparently, he was just in time for dinner - the LDK of the open-plan house smelled incredible. He turned towards the kitchen, a greeting on the tip of his tongue for his little sister. He fell silent, seeing only a quietly simmering pot of curry. A giggle from the living room sectional caught his attention.

Nikki sat there, her back to Seiji. She was so focused on her phone that she hadn’t noticed her older brother walk in. Her twintails shook with another little laugh. Seiji raised his eyebrow; he crept up behind her, staying low to keep his reflection off the window.

 _‘Just a bit closer…’_ Seiji thought, with a mischievous grin. He abruptly stood up, clapping his hands onto Nikki’s shoulders.

“Hey, Nikki! I’m --Ooof!”

Nikki shrieked, leaping to her feet and whirling with a hard punch that connected directly with Seiji’s solar plexus. Every breath the blonde mobile suit pilot had ever taken in his life was knocked out of him with the blow. Nikki stared wide-eyed at Seiji, who was on his knees behind the sofa and clutching at his abdomen.

“...home.” Seiji wheezed. “I’m home.”

“Holy _crap_ , Nii-chan! What the _hell_?! Who sneaks up on a defenseless teenage girl who’s alone at home like that?!”

Seiji stood up slowly, grimacing and coughing. “Right. _Defenseless_. So. Is he cute?”

“!! Wh-what?! How did you know who I’m texting?!” Nikki stammered, turning bright red.

“I didn’t.” Seiji grinned. “Your reaction confirms it, though. When do I get to meet him?”

“Never. And I’m still mad at you.” Nikki huffed, crossing her arms.

“For what?” Seiji asked. “You still haven’t told me.”

“Figure it out. There’s dinner in the kitchen. I hope you choke on it. Jerk.” Nikki stomped off to her room, carefully hiding her phone from her older brother.

Seiji sighed, but allowed himself a little smile when she was out of sight. He wouldn’t want her to think that he found her anger amusing; it was just that an argument like this felt _normal_. In fact, it was their first fight since getting to Japan; probably their first since their parents passed away. Seiji decided to take it as a sign that both he and his sister were adjusting to the new normal.

 _‘Besides… if she was really mad, she wouldn’t have made one of my favorites.’_ Seiji thought, spooning out some curry. He waved a hand in the air, turning on the holographic screen over the kitchen island as he took a seat.

“...to the chagrin of Warframe fans everywhere, their losing streak continues with no relief in sight, particularly with the surprise resignation of long time captain, Sheng Zhang. The Chinese ace cited ‘family reasons’ for the sudden end to his storied career, and out of respect for the veteran, no further comment was offered by the team.

Moving on to international news, a PAC military exercise took a deadly turn today in orbit…”

Seiji looked up as the front door opened. His uncle stalked in, almost yelling into his phone.

“I can’t believe you called me just to tell me this. You told me _weeks_ ago it would be fine! I thought I could count on you being there! The project has _both_ our names on it, remember?! What are people going to think if my ‘wife’ doesn’t show up for the grand opening?” Kaito’s normally kind face was contorted in frustration - and to Seiji’s eyes, grief. The older man caught sight of his nephew, quickly composing himself.

“...Fine. Just… text me or call me when you know for sure, either way. Sorry. Thanks.” Kaito muttered. He sighed, looking at Seiji. “Guess you heard the whole thing, huh?”

Seiji smiled sympathetically. “Aunt Yuki, right? If it would make you feel better, I could pretend that I didn’t?”

Kaito chuckled bitterly. “No. That’s fine…” He paused, considering Seiji’s reaction. “...When did you figure out something was wrong?”

“Pretty early on.” Seiji replied. He stood, serving up some curry for his uncle. “I know she’s a doctor, but not coming home at _all_ for this long is pretty extreme.”

“Do you think Nikki knows?” Kaito took a seat on the bar stool beside Seiji.

“She probably figured it out before I did.” Seiji said. “Why go through all the trouble of hiding it from us?”

Kaito sighed, pushing his food around with his spoon. “Trying to show you kids that you have a real family here in Japan you can depend on? Denial? Habit? Honestly Seiji, I have no idea. It turns out that romance, marriage, and separations aren’t much like the movies. We spent so many years drifting apart that I can’t even tell you when we stopped _having_ a relationship and started _pretending_ we have a relationship.”

“...Heh. Yeah. How often do you get a dramatic confrontation or some kind of actual closure, right…?” Seiji mumbled.

Kaito raised his brow. “Aren’t you a bit young to say something so maudlin?”

Seiji shrugged, with a quiet laugh. “Probably. Anyway, Uncle Kaito. You know what it means that she even called you to tell you there’s a possible issue with your grand opening, right? It means she still cares. She could have also just not called and ghosted. And from the way you talk about Aunt Yuki, it sounds like you still care about her, too. Shouldn’t that make things simple?”

Kaito barked out a laugh. “Really? That simple? What makes you the love doctor?”

Seiji’s smile faded slightly. “Being young doesn’t make you immune from past experience.”

“...Ah. Sorry, Seiji. Nikki did mention that you were seeing someone in New York.”

Seiji waved a hand. “That’s almost ancient history now, Uncle Kaito. It’s fine.”

Kaito nodded, eating some curry. After a moment, he brightened as he recalled something else Nikki had mentioned.

“That’s right! There’s a local girl in the picture now, isn’t there? Yuuna Misaki?”

Seiji laughed. “I take it Nikki told you about her? We’re just friends.”

“Nikki mentioned that it seems like you two like each other.” Kaito grinned.

“Like I said, we’re just friends. Besides. She’s the earnest, straight-laced type. A relationship with her would probably be pretty serious from day one.” Seiji shrugged. “I need to focus on my classes and the team.”

“Says the guy who flirts with any girl with a pretty smile.” Kaito chuckled.

“Nikki really does need to mind her own business a little more.” Seiji groused.

“Anyway, take it from me, kid. If my situation’s simple, yours is dead-easy. You like her. She probably likes you. Go enjoy your youth.”

Seiji rolled his eyes, but smiled warmly at his uncle as he collected their empty plates.

“And so who made _you_ the love doctor, Uncle Kaito?”

>>>

April 16, 2049 (Friday Afternoon) 

“And welcome back! Thanks again for joining me, ACE’s very own Yuuka Aisaka, for today’s final Windshear match! We’ve already had a great start to the season with a tightly contested match between Onna Bugeisha and Exceed, not to mention an overwhelming victory from Reborn!”

A petite ACE student with short auburn hair and retro-styled glasses sat in the commentator’s box of the main Windshear viewing stadium at ACE. With the season officially underway, play-by-play broadcasting was now in full effect and provided by ACE’s Journalism Club.

“Next up, we have the _always_ entertaining Claw of the Wild against one of the newly qualified teams, ACE 2049-11! As you might recall, ACE 2049-11 barely made the cut in the qualifying round-robin tournament, but did so in dramatic fashion by downing Suguru Suguo’s Sovereign!” At Yuuka’s words, the stadium’s holo-projectors automatically queued up highlights from the battle between Sovereign and Gladius, all set to thudding music meant to pump up the audience. She turned to the woman sitting beside her in the box.

“Hikari-sensei, aren’t you their faculty advisor? What do you think ACE 2049-11’s going to show us today?”

Yuki Hikari sat beside Yuuka in the press box - the faculty at ACE took turns in providing color commentary for the Journalism Club. Yuki smiled. Unlike some of her colleagues, she actually enjoyed this sort of extracurricular work.

“I think it’s anyone’s guess, Ai-chan. The team has just recently obtained sponsorship, and I understand that Dasshu’s technicians and Valerie Belle, their engineer, pulled an all-nighter to repair and refit their machines.”

“So they’re flying into combat against a seasoned team with brand new specs?! What an exciting gamble!”

Yuki chuckled. “Exciting gamble describes Seiji-chan quite well, I think.”

“Seiji- _chan_? Oh my, Hikari-sensei! You’re awfully familiar with the new transfer student!” Yuuka gasped. “A super-huge scandal to start the Windshear season!”

“Don’t be silly, Ai-chan. He’s my nephew. I have to say, he has grown into a reliable, handsome young man. Did you know that when he was little, he used to cry if he didn’t have--”

“Oh, we’re getting a priority message from the battlefield! One second--”

“ _Thanks_ for the introduction, _Hikari-sensei_.” Seiji’s voice blared over the channel. His face showed up on the channel shortly after.

“Oops. He’s mad.” Yuki giggled. “In any event, we’ll see how they choose to handle Claw of the Wild. While Claw’s strategy is simple, it can be surprisingly effective. Even though everyone knows what Kimura-kun’s going to do.”

“Speaking of which, Claw of the Wild is now entering the field!”

The projection in the middle of the stadium changed, revealing a battlefield composed largely of rolling hills, quite a departure from the archipelago that was the qualifier’s battleground.

Four MI-18 Hornets approached, led by Tatsuo Kimura. Each suit was heavily modified and armed, with Kimura brandishing his famous ‘Tora’ claw weapons. Claw of the Wild landed, taking their starting position beside the first beacon.

>>>

“Geh.” Kaori muttered, as the shining white and gold Hornets landed. “Here it comes.”

“It can’t be _that_ bad.” Seiji said. “I mean, the ‘Claws of Justice’ thing you showed me from their fight was probably a spur of the moment sort of thing--”

“RAYS OF JUSTICE ILLUMINATE THE BATTLEFIELD. TWO WORTHY PREDATORS ENTER, BUT A SINGLE PHOENIX SHALL RISE FROM THE ASHES OF WAR.”

Seiji stared blankly as the four members of Claw of the Wild posed in dramatic fashion, like a _Super Sentai_ team. Except for one member, who inexplicably laid on the ground in front of the other three like a hockey goaltender posing for a team photo. Kimura’s booming voice continued over the open comm. Seiji shook his head. “That’s really something--”

“He isn’t done.” Kaori sighed, cringing.

“LET GLORY AND HONOR COMMEMORATE THIS DAY! FOR THE CROSSING OF OUR PATHS IS NOTHING SHORT OF DESTINY! BLOOD AND TEARS WILL BE SHED, FOR GREATNESS DEMANDS…”

“Comms to team only, guys.” Kaori sighed. “It’s Claw’s first match of the season, so we have at least two or three minutes left of monologue. Let’s go over our strategy one more time—“

Shou’s voice boomed over the comm. “WE WILL NOT STAND IDLY BY AND ALLOW YOU TO CLAIM OUR RIGHTFUL CROWN! OUR DESCENDANTS WILL SPEAK OF THIS BATTLE FOR GENERATIONS—”

“God damnit, Shou!”

“Heh. Sorry. Team only now. That’ll keep Tatsuo talking for a bit longer, though.” Shou grinned at his team over the video link.

“Whatever.” Kaori shook her head. “Anyways. If they play to form, they’re going to cut across to the second lane immediately and give up the first point to us. They’re the only team at ACE that runs without a marksman of any kind, so expect them to rush us as soon as we touch the beacon.”

“And then I’ll run the blockade.” Seiji said. “And you think Kimura will send all three of his team after me?”

“Chances are good, Bro. He watched our qualifier and was pretty impressed by what you pulled. He’s also pretty confident in his ability to hold his own in an odd-man situation. He’s going to hope for a quick kill on you to turn the match into a four on three.”

“We’re going to count on you to make sure that doesn’t happen, Seiji-san. We can win this if it’s a three-on-three with Kimura down.” Mayu said.

“Yeah. As long as Tatsuo’s out of the fight, we’ve got a solid chance, Bro. We need you to stay alive until we take him out.” Shou grinned. “So don’t get shot down too fast.”

Seiji raised his eyebrow. “It sounds like all of you are expecting me to be shot down faster than Kimura.”

“Well. Kimura’s flying a heavily-modified Hornet, you can’t use that overdrive thing reliably, and Valerie’s had all of one night to make changes to Gladius.” Kaori frowned. “I think it’s going to be a minor miracle for you to stay alive until we take Kimura down.”

“Sounds like a challenge, Captain.” Seiji said. He smiled slightly, glancing at the new C-130 Lancer assault rifle on his suit’s readout. “Wanna make a bet?”

>>>

“Sounds like a challenge, Captain. Wanna make a bet?”

“Maki-san seems pretty confident, doesn’t he, Belle-san?” Yuuna asked. She was seated with Valerie in another box of the Windshear stadium, reserved for the support staff and reserve members of their team. ACE 2049-11’s box only held Valerie and Yuuna - their faculty advisor was providing color commentary, and there were no other engineers, managers, or ‘benchwarmers’. They were listening in on the team’s channel.

Valerie didn’t respond for a moment, instead staring fixedly down at the projected battlefield. She jumped slightly when Yuuna touched her hand. “Huh? Sorry. Did you say something?”

Yuuna frowned. Valerie had seemed distracted ever since she and Yuuna saw the team off from their hangar. “I just said that Maki-san seems pretty confident. Is everything okay? I’m sure you did a great job. Everyone was really happy with their repairs and upgrades.”

“Mm. Yeah. Yeah…” Valerie murmured. “Say, Yuuna. You’re on the pre-med track, right? So you probably have to study the neuro-adaptive interface of mobile suits as much or more than engineers do?”

“Hm… I wouldn’t say _more_ , Belle-san. But probably from a different perspective. Did you have a question?”

Valerie steepled her fingers together, watching as the two teams took their starting positions near the first beacon.

“How long would you say a pilot could survive using an unthrottled NAI before showing symptoms?”

Yuuna blinked. That was a strange question.

“...Well, in the early days of NAI development, test pilots usually reported issues starting at around a week of regular use. At best, headaches. At worst, light sensitivity and seizures.” She sighed, shaking her head. “In a bit of sad irony, the ones with mild symptoms had higher mortality rates in the end. Because they pushed on longer, they developed more cumulative brain injuries, not unlike CTE in boxers and fighters.”

“How long did those ones last?”

“Years.” Yuuna said. “Some are still alive today, in fact. But within six months of developing symptoms, all of them stopped flying.”

“Six months…” Valerie murmured. Her eyes seemed to settle on the projected form of Gladius. The custom mobile suit shone in blues and whites, no longer looking like a beaten-up and battle-worn relic. The Lancer assault rifle was magnetically slung to Gladius’ back, already painted to match Seiji’s machine perfectly.

Yuuna caught Valerie’s look. Her eyes widened. “Valerie… Why are you asking?”

>>>

April 16, 2049 (Friday Morning) 

Just a few hours earlier, Seiji was woken up by the insistent buzzing of his phone. He blinked sleepily, groaning softly. He felt like he had slept only a few hours.

“The hell…? What time is it?”

His phone helpfully projected ‘0400’ in a soft green glow above his nightstand. That told him he felt like he slept only a few hours because that was _exactly_ what happened. A glowing icon on the bottom right told him he had received well over ten text messages in the past hour, and he was currently getting a video call request from one Valerie Belle.

“Seriously…?” He gestured at the air, picking it up. “Valerie, this better be important--...”

The pretty blonde girl had dark rings under her eyes and a smudge of grease on her cheek. Her long hair was tied back, and she had eschewed the ACE uniform in favor of a pair of mechanic overalls. She looked like she was still in the middle of pulling an all-nighter. And right now, her blue eyes were full of panic.

“It’s critical, Seiji. You need to get to the hangar, _now_.”

>>>

Seiji rode his motorcycle directly into the team’s hangar. The technicians were gone for the night, leaving only Valerie in front of the maintenance console at Gladius’ feet. Seiji stepped off his bike, yawning as he looked up at his mobile suit. Gladius looked better than ever - Valerie and the Dasshu technicians were miracle workers. The new C-130 Lancer was already ‘holstered’ on Gladius’ back, apparently ready for use.

“Nice! Gladius looks great--”

“Seiji! Seiji, I’m _so_ sorry.” Valerie blurted out. To Seiji’s surprise, she looked like she had been _crying_.

“Valerie… Valerie, what happened?” Seiji asked, feeling a chill shoot down his spine.

“I don’t know what happened! After we installed the Lancer, we fired Gladius up to run some simulations to make sure everything was working properly. There’s something wrong with your OS. Your NAI isn’t throttling anymore! You can’t fly Gladius like this! I don’t know what we did! I’ve been trying for hours to dig through your settings to see if there’s a backup of your profile, but there’s _nothing_. Gladius just keeps reporting back to me as all green, but that’s impossible. The only thing I can think of is for you to get into Gladius right now to recalibrate... Why are you laughing?”

Seiji shook his head. “You want to try to rebuild years of piloting and combat data in a single morning of _simulations_?”

Valerie blushed. “It’s the best I can do! It won’t be the same as it was in the qualifiers, but--”

“It isn’t necessary, Valerie.” Seiji smiled. “Trust me.”

>>>

April 16, 2049 (Friday Afternoon) 

“And then he got into Gladius and showed me.” Valerie said, shaking her head. “Gladius’ NAI doesn’t throttle. Or, it _barely_ throttles. Seiji gets the full brunt of Gladius’ sensory input. And apparently, he’s never flown any other way. It’s impossible, isn’t it?”

“Usually. Unless…” Yuuna rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Maki-san mentioned that he built Gladius with his father from an early age. He’s had exposure to Gladius’ NAI from his formative years. Neuroplasticity in children is well-documented. In theory, if Gladius’ NAI _started_ by throttling, then gradually increased bandwidth…”

“That seems like a bit of a reach.” Valerie said. “I can speak six languages, but if I tried to operate Gladius, I’d probably hurl all over the cockpit.”

Yuuna shook her head. “I know. Neuroplasticity can’t explain all of it. Probably not even a fraction of it. But if he’s flying unthrottled, it does explain a few things. From the qualifiers, I assumed his membrane micromanagement was the work of an advanced OS. I thought that was a bit weird, especially in a cobbled-together American machine. If his NAI’s unthrottled, it means he isn’t reliant on an OS at all. He’s making the adjustments _himself_. By ‘feel’...”

Valerie nodded slowly. “So that means where other people ‘pilot’ their machines, he ‘becomes’ his machine?”

“...Something like that.”

“Interesting.” Valerie murmured.

A horn sounded to start the match. There was a flurry of activity on the projected battlefield as both teams took off across the rolling hills.

“And they’re off!” Yuuka shouted, her voice resonating on the stadium’s sound system. “Claw of the Wild veers towards the second lane as they give up the first beacon to 2049-11!”

The four MI-18 Hornets shot towards the second lane in tight formation, leaving ACE 2049-11 moving along the first lane. The newly-minted Dasshu team paused just before the first beacon. Yuuna perked up at Seiji’s voice over the team’s comm channel.

“Just as you called it, Kaori.”

“Right. Everyone ready?” Kaori replied. Aura held its anti-ship sword ready.

Seiji, Mayu, and Shou gave their affirmations.

“Then let’s go! Seiji!”

Gladius’ shield rang against the beacon. All four members of Claw of the Wild shot towards ACE 2049-11.

“RHINOS TAKE CHARGE!” Kimura’s voice blared over the general broadcast. Half the arena cheered; the other half cringed visibly.

“And there goes Claw of the Wild with their trademark four-suit blitz! How will ACE 2049-11 respond?!”

Yuki frowned. “That’s wrong.”

“Eh? What’s wrong, Hikari-sensei? Isn’t this Claw’s usual attack?”

“Hm? No, it really is. But Kimura-kun earlier said something about two predators entering the arena. Rhinos are herbivores.”

“Is that really important right now--”

“A STRAY SHEEP!” Kimura boomed.

“He really needs to get his metaphors straight.” Yuki mused.

“Gladius pulls ahead!” Yuuka called. “He’s running the blockade, daring Claw of the Wild to give chase! What speed!”

Seiji shot ahead in Gladius, blowing dust and grass into the air. Yuuna gasped. He was moving even faster than he had during the qualifier. She looked over at Valerie.

“You managed that in a _night_?!”

Valerie winked. “I do my best work in the dark, Yuuna. Let’s see how his unthrottled NAI does with this new Dasshu swag.”

“Two members of Claw take the bait!” Yuuka cried out. “They’re chasing him to the beacon!”

Suppressive fire lanced out from Mayu’s Deep Sky, the sniper/artillery fire forcing the third Hornet away from Kimura’s mobile suit. Simultaneously, Seiji turned a half-barrel roll mid-jump, effectively flying on his back as he aimed at his pursuers. Several shots from his new Lancer rifle grazed the third Hornet. It immediately switched targets, leaving the remainder of ACE 2049-11 to Kimura.

“A gamble by both teams!” Yuuka said. “Two three-on-one battles are now underway on both ends of lane two!”

Seiji landed briefly before launching forward again. His jets flared; he shot upwards in a parabolic curve as he started to perform a high loop. In a repeat of the qualifying match, Gladius’ form was briefly lost in the sun’s glare. All three of his pursuers aimed up and fired - despite Kimura’s showmanship, it seemed that Claw had done their pre-scouting, studying video of the qualifiers. They had seen how Seiji had used the sun’s glare before.

“All shots miss! Gladius reaches the apex of the loop - but Claw’s already moving to intercept!” Yuuka called. “Kimura’s holding his own on the other side of the field!”

“Seiji!” Valerie yelled into her mic. “Cancel out of the loop! They’re already waiting for you! And you’re losing lateral control!”

Gladius was at the apex of its loop. Suddenly, the mobile suit’s legs seemed to ‘slide’ laterally, like Seiji was losing control in the middle of the maneuver.

“You’re a sitting duck--”

“ _Hineri-komi_ !” Yuuna yelled, excitedly. “He’s doing the _hineri-komi_!”

Valerie blinked. “What’s that?”

“An ACM tactic used by Zero pilots in the Second World War.” Yuuna breathed, watching in wide-eyed anticipation. “It’s a vertical loop combined with a rudder slide. In the days of propeller fighter planes, it let you get on an enemy’s ‘six’ with a tighter and more sudden turn than the usual loop. With a mobile suit, it’s much more difficult. The speed and G-forces make it nearly impossible…”

 _Nearly_ impossible. Gladius seemed to cartwheel out of the high loop, suddenly moving perpendicular to the plane of his previous loop in a twisting, spinning blur of motion. He landed to the side of his three pursuers, his new Lancer rifle aimed along with his shoulder-mounted S-40 Piranha. He had all three of them dead to rights.

“...Beautiful.” Yuuna murmured, her eyes on the entwined contrails left from his dazzling maneuver.

“Ah. She knows what the _hineri-komi_ is, and now she’s calling me beautiful.” Seiji said, over the comm. “If you keep feeding me, I might just follow you home, Misaki-san.”

“If you have time to flirt, you have time to shoot!” Valerie laughed.

“On it! Let’s go, Gladius!”

Energy blasts from the shoulder-mounted shotgun and electromagnetic projectiles from the assault rifle shot out at the three members of Claw, broadsiding and depowering all three machines.

There was a momentary stunned silence in the arena.

“ _That’s_ my Seiji-chan!” Yuki yelled, throwing aside her role as impartial commentator. “Woo!”

The spectators burst into raucous cheers.

“Claw of the Wild is down! All four members are down!” Yuuka called out, just moments later. Kaori cut down Kimura after her fellow captain was staggered by a pinpoint shot from Mayu.

“Wait. Wait, what happened? We only just took down Tatsuo.” Shou said over the team channel.

“...Seiji-san… Did… did you take down all three of them? _On your own?!”_

“Looks like it, Mayu.” Seiji grinned.

“Unbelievable…” Kaori muttered. “...Wait. You’re not actually going to hold me to that bet we made earlier--”

“A WELL FOUGHT MATCH.”

Claw of the Wild’s four machines were standing again to respectfully greet their opponents.

Kaori tried her best to sound gracious. “Y-yeah. Thanks--”

“THE BEAR HIBERNATES TO REGAIN ITS STRENGTH. BUT DO NOT GROW COMPLACENT. SOON THE LION WILL RETURN TO CHALLENGE THE KING OF THE WILD.”

Yuki sighed. “So what are they? Rhinos? Bears? Lions? Sheep? This guy…”

>>>

The team gathered in their hangar’s office to debrief. Kaori reached into the refrigerator, taking out a can of iced coffee.

“Oh, nice. Can you grab me one, too?” Shou asked.

“Sorry, Shou. Last one.” Kaori said, an uncharacteristic grin on her face.

“Oh. You’re actually _smiling_.” Seiji said, chuckling. “Seems like we made our captain pretty happy.”

“Shut up, Seiji. I smile plenty.” Kaori muttered. She opened the coffee, raising it to her lips. She paused mid-sip as Seiji took a step closer to her. She nearly dropped the can as he spoke in a low tone, a half-smile etched on the face that even she had to admit was pretty good-looking.

“So, about that bet…”

“Wh-wh-what?!”

“Weren’t we betting on whether or not I’d survive the three-on-one? And if I survived, I could demand _any_ penalty I wanted?”

“Oooh. Scandalous.” Valerie grinned. She nudged Yuuna. “Looks like you should take up gambling, too.”

“What are you talking about?! Maki-san, we need to debrief. Should you really--...”

The team stared in shock as Seiji raised his hand towards Kaori’s face. The fiery red-head stood frozen to the spot, staring into the hazel eyes of the blonde pilot. The can of coffee was still held near her mouth as her cheeks rapidly turned into a shade comparable to her hair.

“J-j-just a second! You can’t! I’ve never! I mean we aren’t… Aren’t you into… S-s-stop--....”

Seiji plucked the coffee can out of Kaori’s hand. He took a long sip from it before taking a seat, sighing. He raised his can. “Cheers! This’ll be fine.”

Kaori worked her jaw open and closed. “...You… What… ...Stop being a _pervert_! Seriously!”

“What’s perverted about coffee?” Seiji asked innocently.

“Ugh. Nevermind!” Kaori snapped. “Anyway, let’s debrief. Valerie. How are we on damage and resupply?”

“Non-issue.” Valerie said. “We’ll be fully repaired before the end of Saturday, and then I’ll have almost a full week to tune and upgrade before our next match.”

Seiji shook his head. “If Gladius flies like that after a single all-nighter, Valerie, I can’t even begin to imagine what we’ll be like with a week to work with.”

“Speaking of which, Bro. I saw the highlight reel! That was one crazy-ass flip.” Shou shook his head. He picked up the mobile suit model off the desk in the office, replicating the maneuver. 

Mayu looked thoughtful. “Did you have to use that overdrive to do it?”

“Never activated.” Seiji said, shaking his head. “It’s something I’ve been wanting to try for a while. Just never had the power output and maneuverability to pull it off without a sponsor and dedicated engineer.”

“Aw. You’re making me blush, Captain Rogers.” Valerie grinned. “Though, as much as I’d love to have _all_ of your gratitude, none of this could have happened without Yuuna…”

Yuuna, seated on the desk beside Valerie, blushed. “Er… I didn’t do much, Belle-san. I just found a sponsor. And when there’s just four people on the team, there really isn’t much for a manager to do--”

“No. No, Valerie’s right.” Kaori said, shaking her head. “You’re as much a part of this as any of us are. If you want to stay on, we’d be happy to have you.”

“Yeah! Without you, Asura’d probably be a smoking heap.” Shou grinned.

“Oh.” Yuuna smiled uncertainly. “If you’re all sure…”

“Definitely.” Seiji said, firmly. “We need you here, Misaki-san.”

Yuuna brightened; she seemed to finally relax, though the rosy blush never quite left her cheeks. “In that case…”

“Well, there is one thing.” Valerie said, seriously. Yuuna tensed again until the blonde girl broke into a broad grin. “The only hard and fast team rule is first-name basis for everyone, right?”

Yuuna chuckled. “Oh! Alright! Then, Kaori-chan, Shou-kun, Mayu-chan, Valerie-chan, and… …”

“Er… ...Seiji…” Yuuna trailed off as a languid smile slowly crossed Seiji’s features. “… ...Maki-san.” Yuuna finished, mumbling quickly.

Seiji chuckled. “We’ll work on it, Misaki-san.”

>>>

**SS: Hey guys! We’re hosting a victory slash start of the season party at our place tonight! You have GOT to come to this thing**

**KI: Isn’t Kimura your housemate?**

**SM: That could be awkward…**

**SS: Oh, not even. Here, have a look at this. <<Tats.png>>**

**KI: God… is he wearing a leopard print loincloth while holding a sign that says ‘Welcome ACE 2049-11’?!**

**YM: Uhm… what kind of party is this going to be, Shou-kun?**

**VB: Hm. Looks like** **_my_ ** **kinda party ;)**

>>>

April 16, 2049 (Friday Evening) 

Seiji arrived at Shou’s place, a house in a neighborhood just off campus. There were people milling about outside the front of the place, some of them in uniform and most with a drink in hand. The American could also hear the bass thudding away from the sound system inside the house. It looked like the typical lively college party that Seiji got used to seeing at CINY. He smiled wryly as he made his way inside through the crowd.

_‘It’s nice that even an ocean away, college is still college.’_

Seiji looked for his friends, but was unable to see anyone in the crowded room. Instead, he accepted a beer from one of the reserve members of Claw of the Wild, joining in the friendly banter of rival pilots. It was a relief - thankfully, not everyone at ACE was going to be like Suguru Suguo or Nobuyuki Saito. As Seiji demonstrated the _hineri-komi_ with his empty beer bottle, he spotted the only other blonde in the room.

Valerie was speaking with an upperclassman; she was wearing a short skirt, heels, and a low-cut top as she poured it on. The engineer looked _so_ impressed with anything the guy said, taking care to touch his forearm and wrist at any opportunity. Seiji casually edged closer, taking care to not be seen.

“That sounds _so_ cool.” Valerie purred. “I’d love to hear a little more about it, but it’s _so_ loud here. Maybe you can tell me more upstairs?”

“Oh! Oh, uh, yeah! Now?” The upperclassman asked, his eyes bulging.

“Mmhm. Meet me in the room at the top of the steps, sweetie. Clothing _optional_.” Valerie giggled.

Seiji rolled his eyes as the guy spun, barreling into a few people in his haste to get up the stairs. The blonde pilot took this chance to take the long way around, making it seem like he had just arrived. Valerie spotted him, walking over immediately with a flirtatious grin. She threw her arms around his neck, giggling. She smelled faintly of one of the vodka highballs being served up liberally at the bar.

“Ooooh. If it isn’t the big hero of the day.” Valerie grinned, her cheeks flushed. She let go, just to play with Seiji’s jacket. “And the ace pilot’s even wearing a bomber jacket and fitted t-shirt. Some stereotypes are true. And sexy.”

She backed up, giving Seiji an eyeful and little spin. “Well? What do you think?”

“I think you’ve been drinking.” Seiji replied, a crooked little smile on his face. “And aren’t you underage?”

“Maybe for drinking. Not so for _other_ things.” She smirked at him, resting her palm on his chest. She blinked. “...Oh. Someone works out. What does a cute flyboy like you do? Boxing? SCS? Maybe you can show me some _moves_ …”

“Right. And I’m sure you’d like to discuss it with me upstairs. ‘Clothing optional’.” Seiji chuckled.

Valerie’s expression changed, going from easy-going (or easy) drunk to wry smile. She took her hand off his chest. “You’re really something, Captain Rogers. Not even a _hint_ of a rise from having a gorgeous blonde throw herself at you.”

“I flirt, but I’m not the kind of guy to go after a drunk girl. I take it the other guy was?” Seiji asked.

Valerie rolled her eyes. “Came up to me right after I got my drink. Started in with the obvious neg - really, who the hell says something like ‘You speak Japanese well for a foreigner’? - and then the whole ‘cool senpai’ act. So don’t feel sorry for him. At least, not until I can find some equally boneheaded asshat to send up to that room with him.”

Seiji laughed. “Right.”

Valerie smiled. She eyed Seiji up and down. “More importantly, if you’re not into drunk girls… How about a girl who was _pretending_ to be drunk, then?”

Seiji shook his head with a little grin. “I don’t think we’re each other’s type, Valerie. I know your playbook too well. And you were probably the second author on mine.”

Valerie snorted. She thumped his chest lightly with her fist.

“Fair enough.” She gave Seiji a sly look. “Bet I know the kind of girl who _can_ get you to lose control, though. A certain girl-next-door team manager…?”

“Please. I’m always in control.” Seiji took a sip of his beer.

“Right. ‘In control’ is exactly how I’d describe that almost-kiss in the gym that I saw the other day.” Valerie shrugged, flashing a teasing grin at Seiji.

Seiji coughed, choking. Valerie thumped his back with a little laugh. She glanced briefly around his shoulder before looking back at Gladius’ pilot.

“Windows were wide-open, First Avenger. I saw _everything_. Tell you what, though. If you get me another drink, I’ll keep quiet.”

“Ah… Right.” Seiji coughed again. “What’ll you have?”

Valerie ‘hrmed’ thoughtfully. “I think she’s the kind of girl who’d like something sweet.”

“Bay Breeze, then.” Seiji said. He raised his eyebrow. “This is your last one though, Val. If you’re speaking in third-person, then you’re further gone than I thought.”

“Hah. Fair enough.” Valerie motioned with her hand, like a queen to a servant. “Go on, now.”

Seiji bowed theatrically before heading to the bar.

Valerie smirked. Her smirk widened into an amused grin as she looked at a tall and unusual house plant situated near the wall. Unusual because the plant seemed to feature not only long magenta hair, but a pair of crystal blue eyes peering through the foliage. Valerie walked over, laughing at the quiet ‘eep’ and sudden shaking of leaves.

“You know, hiding behind plants works better when they’re a bit bigger. And when the hair is less noticeable.”

Yuuna stepped out, her face red and lips pursed into an adorable pout as she adjusted her ACE uniform. Apparently she came directly from campus. “I wasn’t hiding.”

“Oh, wow. You are _cute_. No wonder he likes you.” Valerie replied.

“I… He… ...He does? Did he say something?”

Even Valerie felt a twinge in her heartstrings at the look of unbridled hope in the team manager’s features. She shook her head. “Not so much in words. But it’s totally obvious. I think it’s about as close to a sure-thing as you’re going to get from a guy like that.”

“A guy like that…?”

“A guy who’s a lot like me.” Valerie said, shrugging. “I’m not your rival here, Yuuna. I think I figured out pretty early on that Seiji and I are too similar. It would be like dating myself. And as awesome as I am, I like being the one that does the befuddling.”

Yuuna blinked. “Then… Why do you flirt with him so much?”

“For sport.” Valerie laughed. “Same reason he flirts with everyone. Except you, anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Get him to call you by your given name or something anime/drama-y like that. Suffice to say, he already sees you as someone special.” Valerie said. She grinned, looking around Yuuna’s shoulder. “So special in fact, that he already has a drink for you.”

Before Yuuna could react, Valerie reached over, removing her tie and stuffing it into Yuuna’s pocket. The blonde then popped the top two buttons of her shirt. Valerie eyed Yuuna critically.

“Hm. That’s probably about right. Good luck!” Valerie winked, disappearing into the crowd.

“V-Valerie-chan!” Yuuna protested. She glanced at her reflection. Thankfully, there wasn’t anything exposed other than the hollow of her neck. Before she could re-fasten her collar, Seiji arrived, drinks in hand.

“Oh! Hey, Misaki-san. Glad you made it! Have you seen Valerie?”

Yuuna jumped, her heart jumping into her throat. “Ah! Uhm, she had to leave.” She smiled shyly at Seiji, looking at the glass in his hand. “Is that for me?”

Seiji didn’t miss a beat, speaking smoothly with that charming, reckless smile. “Sure is.”

Yuuna took a sip, grateful for the ice-cold liquid. And also for the alcohol providing a less embarrassing reason for the deep blush staining her fair face. She glanced around at the crowd. “It’s a bit loud in here… Want to chat outside?”

“Sure thing.”

Seiji led her out to the front yard; the two members of ACE 2049-11 leaned on the wooden rail of the porch. Yuuna’s eyes remained fixed either on her drink or the ground below them. Even with the liquid courage in her hands, looking directly _at_ him right now seemed to be a challenge, especially after Valerie’s words.

_‘He already sees you as someone special.’_

Eventually, the silence (and her imagination) became too much to bear. She looked up at Seiji. “Ne, Maki-san--”

Seiji quickly looked up into the night sky. Yuuna blinked.

_‘What was he--...’_

Yuuna’s eyes widened. While two buttons weren’t enough to show much other than the space between her collarbones when she was _standing_ , they were currently leaning forwards on the rail. The ‘view’ was just a little different.

 _‘I’m going to_ **_kill_ ** _Valerie!’_ Yuuna thought. She put her drink down on the rail, starting to reach for her collar. She stopped at a quiet cough from Seiji.

“Sorry, Misaki-san. What was that?”

He was looking at her again, eye-to-eye. He smiled warmly.

It was amazing, to Yuuna. How his smiles were so nuanced. Teasing grins that drove her to both irritated and fascinated distraction. Languid smirks that made her feel… _something_. And these warm, reassuring smiles that made her feel like it was safe to be in her own skin. So different from the leers or looks of superficial pity.

Yuuna picked up her drink again. “It’s nothing big. I just wanted to say congratulations. I didn’t get a chance to say it during the debrief.”

Seiji grinned. He clinked his beer bottle against her glass. “Couldn’t have done it without you, Manager Misaki.”

“I’m glad it worked out, Maki-san.” Yuuna shook her head, smiling in recollection at the sight of Gladius performing the dramatic cartwheeling loop. “I still can’t believe you pulled off a _hineri-komi_ in a mobile suit. The level of membrane micromanagement it requires is beyond most people… In fact, I’ve only seen it done once before.”

“Really? When?”

Yuuna nearly dropped her drink.

 _‘Hey, Nacchan! Keep an eye on me when I hit the third lane. You’re going to_ **_love_ ** _this.’_

_‘What are you going to do this time, Onii-san? Honestly, Masato-senpai’s going to kill you if you mess this up…’_

_‘Please. It’s me.’_

“Misaki-san?” Seiji touched her wrist gently. “Something wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. It’s nothing.” Yuuna smiled. “I saw it once during a Windshear match last year.”

Seiji nodded slowly. He gave her that gentle smile again. Yuuna could see that he wanted to know more, but he didn’t push. He never pushed more than she wanted him to. She really… _liked_ that about him. “Anyway, I only pulled it off because of the upgrades and tuning that Valerie managed to get done… And she only got that done because of your clutch work with Dasshu.”

It was Seiji’s turn to shake his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe they got us all operational in a _night_. You and the SBA really came through.”

Yuuna shook her head, a frustrated grimace crossing her features. “I quit the SBA. They weren’t doing anything.”

“Wait, what?”

“I quit!” Yuuna angrily gulped at her Bay Breeze. “The other students on the SBA told me I was wasting my time! They wanted me to drop you guys because I was ‘wasting resources and annoying potential sponsors’! They also said that even if I managed to find you guys a sponsor, that you guys probably wouldn’t do well anyway. They wanted me to focus on finding second and third sponsors for the top ten teams!”

“Wow. That sort of defeats the purpose of the SBA, doesn’t it?” Seiji frowned.

“Exactly. They’re so concerned with padding their stats that they don’t care about the new teams that actually need their help.” Yuuna huffed. “So I dropped them like a bad habit and relied on other contacts to get Dasshu. After all, they…”

Yuuna blinked. She was getting tipsy enough that she almost let on more than she wanted.

“I’m glad.” Seiji said, smoothly. He smiled at her. The kind of smile that made her heart skip a beat. “This means you’ll have more spare time, right?”

“...Right…?”

Seiji turned to face her.

 _‘Close! So close!’_ Yuuna thought, her eyes widening at their proximity. She made no move to step away, though.

“So, if I invited you out tomorrow, you’d say yes?” He asked.

“I… er… You…” She blinked as Seiji booped her nose lightly with the tip of his index finger.

“To say thanks for being our manager and finding a sponsor, of course.” He grinned, teasingly. Definitely equal parts fascination and irritation.

“Oh…!” Yuuna chuckled nervously. “Okay, then. Lunch would be good. In a big public place. _Very_ public.”

Seiji smiled. “Sure. That diner then, by the park.” He glanced at his phone. “Anyway, Misaki-san. It’s getting late. I don’t think the buses are running anymore. Can I walk you home?”

“Hm? Ah, you don’t have to.” Yuuna said. “It’s a long way at night.”

Seiji shook his head. “All the more reason to do it. Besides, you practically live next door, don’t you?”

_‘If I had to pick, then I’d say the girl next door.’_

“R-right. In that case--”

“Uh, guys?”

Yuuna and Seiji turned around.

Shou and Mayu stood there, supporting a _very_ drunk Kaori between them.

“Heh heh… drank him… un’ner the table…” Kaori mumbled.

Shou grimaced as Kaori reached up, abruptly tugging on his hair. He smiled weakly at Seiji and Yuuna.

“Little help?”

>>>

“Hee hee. Fluffy. Sho… fluffy. And golden.” Kaori mumbled, her hand coming up to once again tug and ruffle Seiji’s hair. “LIke a _puppy_ …”

Seiji shook her hand off, sighing. He looked across at Yuuna, who was supporting ACE 2049-11’s captain on her other side.

“We’re almost there.” Yuuna said, with a barely suppressed giggle. “Her dormitory is the one on the right.”

The three of them made their way over. A few girls were standing at the entrance to the apartment-like building, chatting. One of them - a pretty brunette with green eyes - looked up. She gasped.

“Is that Kaori?!”

“Yep.” Seiji said, shifting Kaori’s weight onto his shoulder. He offered his right hand. “Seiji Maki. You’re a friend of Kaori’s?”

The girl nodded, shaking his hand. “Mei Satomi. She’s a friend of mine, yes. Here. I’ll help you get her inside.”

Seiji and Yuuna nodded gratefully as Mei fished out her keycard for the dorm.

“You’re one of her teammates, aren’t you?” Mei said. She looked at Yuuna. “And you’re--”

“Yuuna Misaki.” Yuuna said, smiling. “The team manager.”

“...Right.” Mei smiled back. “You all put on a pretty good show today. Especially you, Maki-kun. A _hineri-komi_ in a mobile suit that most of us had written off as American junk.”

Seiji glanced at the teal pilot’s stripes on Mei’s uniform. “‘Most’ of us, huh? And what did you think, Satomi-san?”

Mei took over from Seiji as they entered the dorm. It wasn’t co-ed; at this hour, Seiji technically couldn’t proceed past the lobby. Her smile to Seiji was friendly, but the blonde caught the competitive, anticipatory gleam in the pilot’s eye. “I think that my team will be keeping a pretty close eye on ACE 2049-11, Maki-kun.”

Seiji flashed a crooked grin at Mei. “We’ll try not to disappoint.”

Seiji walked back outside; he found a bench just around the corner from the entrance, taking a seat to wait for Yuuna.

“...So that guy was pretty hot, huh? Must be that American transfer student.”

Seiji smiled slightly as the girls that Mei was chatting with previously continued talking.

“Haha, yeah. He’s a pretty good pilot too, apparently. But he’s with that Misaki girl all the time…”

“Figures. She really has a type, doesn’t she? It’s kind of sad--”

Seiji coughed loudly, stepping back around the corner. The girls startled, falling into an awkward silence just as Yuuna stepped back outside. The team manager paused, glancing back and forth between Seiji and the girls.

“Maki-san…?”

“We should get going, Misaki-san.” He said. He smiled at her. “It’s getting late.”

“Right.” She fell into step beside Seiji as they walked back towards their neighborhood. After a moment, Yuuna glanced up at Seiji again. “Is everything alright? That seemed a little tense.”

“Ah, it was nothing.” Seiji shrugged. “Is Kaori okay?”

“Mm. Satomi-san helped me get her tucked in.” Yuuna said.

“Do you know her?” Seiji asked, thinking of the brunette with sharp green eyes.

“Only by reputation.” Yuuna said. “She’s the captain of _Onna-Bugeisha_. She flies an MI-80 Murasame and is known as the best melee-combatant at ACE.”

“Onna-Bugeisha… They’re a top five team.” Seiji said. “Heh. Cool name, too. We need to work on that.”

Yuuna nodded.

“Our contact at Dasshu agrees. They’re happy to sponsor us, but ‘ACE 2049-11’ doesn’t look great on advertisements and press releases.” Yuuna said. “They already had some ideas for team names.”

“Really? What’s the frontrunner?” Seiji asked.

“The _Dasshu Dashers._ ” Yuuna grimaced.

“...Seriously? Like the reindeer?”

Yuuna sighed. “Like the reindeer. They even had a mockup for a logo and everything.”

Yuuna took out her phone. The logo was a stylized ‘DD’.

“...Double-D. Are they _trying_ to make us the laughingstock of ACE?” Seiji laughed.

“I’m told that the intern who came up with the name and design is the son of one of the executives.” Yuuna said, sighing. “It seems that nepotism is alive and well in Japan. Thankfully, they liked my counter-offer more. I just need to run it by you and the rest of the team.”

“What did you suggest?”

Yuuna smiled at him. In that moment, he marveled at how nuanced her expressions could be. So often, her smiles had just a hint of sadness or nostalgia in them. Right now, though, there was nothing but earnest anticipation; contagious excitement. It made the American feel like he could take on Sovereign with nothing but a paintball gun and a pair of grav boots. Her eyes sparkled in the light of the streetlamps.

“Velocity.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "La vache" - French turn of phrase. Literal meaning 'the cow'. Used in disbelief/admiration/etc. Like 'holy cow', but used a little more frequently.
> 
> It's amazing how fics like this keep turning into far bigger projects than I anticipated. "Endless Sky" actually started out as a few chapters of epilogue - basically a "Yuuna After-Story". But similar to my Persona 5 stories, I felt like I wanted to have more 'context'. And I also wanted to know what happens afterwards.
> 
> So far, I've got the first 'arc' roughly outlined in terms of major events. That should cover things from the start of the spring term into the summer and the team's first major tournament.
> 
> If you're reading this, thanks again. It's a small fandom, but I think the source material is fun. If you've read this far after stumbling into this from my P5 stuff, thanks all the more!


	4. Squad Goals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Although the Three Day War was won largely on the strength of the newly-minted PARDA’s superior technology and tactics, there were some soldiers whose individual accomplishments marked them as heroes of the conflict._
> 
> _One such example was Lieutenant Mizuki Sanada, who took command over her flight of mobile suits after a surprise bomber strike killed her captain in one of President Carde’s first ‘scorched earth’ assaults. While non-nuclear, it was the first use by any nation of the powerful GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bombs over its own soil. Dozens of the weapons were dropped over a large area, incinerating PARDA forces, fleeing civilians, and retreating Americans alike._
> 
> _Lieutenant Sanada rallied her remaining comrades, striking quickly to disable the facilities housing the remainder of the bombs and the bombers that could deploy them. For her decisive action, she received a promotion, multiple commendations, and the nickname ‘Adrestia’ - the Greek Goddess of Vengeance, or ‘she who cannot be escaped’._  
> 

April 17, 2049 (Saturday) 

A little before noon, the sound of Seiji’s footsteps thudded down the stairs of the Hikari household. The blonde mobile suit pilot was already tugging on his leather bike jacket and had his helmet in hand. While he wasn’t late, he was certainly eager.

Kaito looked up from his barstool at the kitchen island, where he was doing some work on his ‘laptop’. He gestured, dismissing the projected holographic screen back into the device, along with the haptic interface. The only truly physical part of the computer resembled a small rectangular box. He eyed his nephew critically. He smiled slowly.

“Took my advice, I see.”

Seiji paused, pouring out some iced coffee from the carafe in the refrigerator. He shrugged. “Kinda-sorta. It’s just lunch, Uncle Kaito.”

Nikki turned around on the sofa in the living room. She sat up on her knees, leaning against the backrest. She looked at Seiji curiously. “You’re going on a date?”

Seiji smiled. At least Nikki was talking to him again. “Like I said, Nikki. It’s just lunch. I’m meeting Misaki-san at that diner close to the park.”

“Oh! That’s a nice place.” Kaito said. “Our company actually built that place. Nice and modern. It was actually the test bed for a lot of the technology we’re putting into the shopping center and the resort. Decent food, too. Don’t order the risotto, though.”

“Thanks.” Seiji grinned.

“You seem pretty happy.” Nikki smirked. “Looking forward to impressing her? Heh heh…”

Seiji shrugged again, though he wondered what was so funny. “Maybe. Or maybe I’m just glad that my little sister’s talking to me again. Heh. You’ve been ignoring me to the point where I couldn’t even explain myself, Nikki.”

He held up his phone. “Sorry I missed your texts and calls the other day. I left my phone in Gladius. When I went back for it, I ran into Valerie - the girl who I thought was sabotaging Gladius, but ended up becoming our engineer.”

Kaito chuckled. “Funny how that worked out.”

Seiji frowned as Nikki paled. “Nikki? Something wrong?”

“You.. You’re just lying, right? Weren’t you ignoring me on purpose?” Nikki asked.

“No… Why would I do that?” Seiji asked. He handed over his phone. “Here. You can even check the location data on it. It sat in the hangar for around two hours while Shou and I got some food, and then for another hour when I was talking to Valerie and walking her home.”

Nikki looked at the phone. She gulped, turning even more pale as she handed it back. “Uhm…”

Seiji paused. He knew that look. It was the same look that Nikki had on her face when she had accidentally turned all of his white clothes pink by leaving a red sock in the washer back in New York. “Nikki… What did you do?”

“Er… You know, it looks like it’s going to rain, doesn’t it?” Nikki said, looking out a window.

The sky was completely clear. Nikki forged ahead, nodding vigorously. “In fact, I think you’d be better off taking the bus today! I would be just stupid to get all soaked before going out with a girl, wouldn’t it?”

“...My bike. What did you do to my bike?!” Seiji whirled, darting towards the garage.

“Wait! Wait wait wait! Don’t go in there! There’s asbestos! An angry badger! A sinkhole…” Nikki trailed off as she caught up to Seiji. She stood at the doorway to the garage as Seiji’s motorcycle helmet clattered to the floor, dropped by the pilot’s suddenly limp hand.

Seiji made a wordless, strangled noise as he looked at his lovingly restored Suzuki GSX-1000. A beautiful blue and white motorcycle from a bygone era. Decorated now in glitter. And not just silver or gold specks. Rather, the bike had been thoroughly decorated in rainbow colored moons, stars, and hearts to go along with the more typical glitter.

“It… It should wash off…?” Nikki cringed.

“Nikki…”

“It’s not _that_ bad!” Nikki backed away slowly.

“Not that bad…” Seiji rubbed his face, taking another look at his bike. Even in the relatively dim light of the garage, the motorcycle was hard to look at directly due to all the sparkling.

“Y-yeah!” Nikki nodded desperately, her pigtails bobbing furiously. “When you’re on the road and in motion, no one will look twice!”

Seiji spun, snarling at his little sister. A vein he didn’t even know he had throbbed visibly over his right eye. “IT LOOKS LIKE A UNICORN PUKED ALL OVER MY MOTORCYCLE!”

“!! Eek!” Nikki hid behind Kaito, who wasn’t even bothering to hide his laughter.

Seiji mournfully ran his hand over the fuel tank. He looked at his palm - covered in glitter. It seemed if he rode his bike, he’d look like he had received a lap dance from a stripper who’d gone ham on the body glitter.

“I’ll… I’ll clean it up. Can you take the bus, just for today?” Nikki asked.

Seiji glanced at the time. He sighed. “No. I’ll be late.” He pointed at Nikki. “You… ...Just, get it cleaned up when I get back. And next time you’re mad at me, _please_ just tell me? If I’m actually at fault, you can still go and get revenge.”

Seiji sat astride his bike and opened the carport door. He rolled down the driveway before gunning the UHC engine; it whined as the motorcycle shot down the road, leaving a comet trail of glittering rainbow sparkles in the air behind it.

>>>

Yuuna waited just inside the door of _Jonathan’s_. Like the cafe she part-timed at, the diner was located right beside Isokaze’s Central Park. It was a beautifully built restaurant, and even had a view of Umiko, the guardian goddess statue in the center of the park. Yuuna caught her reflection in the window as she looked out at the park.

She self-consciously fiddled with her hair. She had plaited her long magenta locks into a braid, and opted for a white cardigan over a t-shirt and pink skirt. It had been some time since she put this much effort into her appearance. Earlier, she had told herself it was because if she was the team manager, she had to look put together. But the way her heart skipped a beat as Seiji walked into view told her exactly how true that was.

 _‘It’s just lunch. Everyone else is going to be here too. It’s just lunch.’_ Yuuna smoothed out her skirt. She watched curiously as Seiji paused, batting at his jeans with a rather severe frown on his face. He seemed unusually irritated at whatever dust was on him.

That frown vanished the moment he walked in and laid eyes on her, though.

“Hey, Misaki-san. Sorry I’m late. Ran into some complications at home.”

“Everything’s okay, I hope?” Yuuna asked.

Seiji waved his hand. “Absolutely. Anyway, I’ve kept you waiting long enough. Shall we?”

Yuuna blinked, looking over Seiji’s shoulder. “The others aren’t with you, are they? Shouldn’t we wait?”

Seiji raised an eyebrow, looking confused. “...Others?”

Yuuna nodded. “The rest of the team.”

“...Oh.” Seiji chuckled. “I said I was inviting you out to say thanks for being our manager. I didn’t specify who was actually going to be here, did I?”

“Er, no. But I assumed everyone… …” Yuuna trailed off. Her eyes widened; she blushed. It was embarrassing, but she couldn’t deny the sense of elation that was also warming her face.

Seiji smiled, taking out his phone. “Let me call the others. I’m sure they’d love to come.”

There it was again. Despite all of his flirting and teasing, he never pushed. He always stopped short of making her uncomfortable. Some part of her was fine with this - he was a wonderful friend, and he had already made her life so much better. But was it really okay to just continue like this? To never even try to move forward?

She impulsively reached out, putting a hand over his phone. “It’s okay! You don’t have to call them.”

She hurriedly snatched her fingers away before she could become too aware of the feel of his hand. “I… I wouldn’t want to inconvenience them by calling them out of the blue, you know?”

Seiji’s smile turned into a cheeky grin. “Want me all to yourself, then?”

It turned out he pushed a _little_.

Yuuna turned to the hostess for help. The girl stifled a laugh, smiling at the pair.

“Let me show you to a table.”

The two ACE students sat down. The menu materialized in the air over the table.

“Oh! Heh. Uncle Kaito wasn’t kidding about modern…” Seiji mused.

“What do you mean?” Yuuna raised her hand, scrolling through the selection.

“My uncle’s a real estate developer; he focuses on properties in hospitality. So restaurants, shopping centers, and resorts.” Seiji tapped on his selection - a cheeseburger and fries. “Apparently, he built this place, as well as that shopping center that’s opening up across town.”

“Oh, really? You mentioned that you and your sister live with him. Are your parents back in America?” Yuuna asked, picking the same meal as Seiji.

Seiji’s smile faltered for a moment. “...They died, actually. Around a year and a half ago.”

“Oh! That was insensitive.” Yuuna was mortified. “I shouldn’t have asked, I--”

Seiji shook his head. “There’s no way you could have known, Misaki-san. And I don’t mind you knowing. There isn’t much to the story, anyway. A drunk driver ran them off the road when they were on their way home.”

Yuuna bit her lip. “I’m sorry. It’s a bit of a surprise. You mentioned that you built Gladius with your father. From the way you described him, he sounded so lively and warm that I couldn’t even imagine that he had passed away. He seemed larger than life.”

Seiji laughed, surprising Yuuna. “You know… He would have loved to hear that. Dad always encouraged Nikki and I to have the biggest dreams possible, to break past our limits. He was a big believer in the whole ‘shoot for the moon, land among the stars’ cliche. He applied it to his work, his family life, everything. Sometimes it was hard to keep up with him.”

Yuuna giggled. “It’s hard to imagine someone who could give you a run for your money in terms of liveliness.”

Seiji smiled. “He was the engine of our family, that’s for sure. I say I built Gladius with my dad, but he was the real brains behind the operation. My main role was the pilot and an extra pair of hands for him. I think he lived vicariously through me… He was colorblind, so he couldn’t fly safely.”

Yuuna’s smile faded; she frowned slightly as she recalled her conversation with Valerie during the team’s match against Claw of the Wild. “...Maki-san, did your father also program Gladius’ operating system?”

“Ah. You’ve been talking to Val, huh?” Seiji said. “Yeah. Dad installed and programmed Gladius’ NAI. Nothing too elaborate; he was never much of a software guy. He focused more on the mechanical side of cenorobotics.”

“Was Valerie telling the truth? You’ve been operating Gladius with an unthrottled NAI?” Yuuna asked, unable to keep the urgency out of her voice.

“Pretty true--”

“You have to stop!” Yuuna leaned forward, gesturing sharply at Seiji. “Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?! You might never fly again! Or _walk_ again! And for what? To speed up your reaction time a little? All of you pilots are the same, you--”

Seiji raised his hands. “Hey… Misaki-san? Can you pause the scolding for a second?”

Yuuna blinked. She blushed, nodding as she sat back.

Seiji smiled. He didn’t seem to be offended. “Gladius’ neural throttling doesn’t really ever seem to pick up. It’s not like it’s disabled. It’s just that when I’m flying Gladius, it never really activates. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember.”

“When _you’re_ flying Gladius…” Yuuna murmured. “So when your father tested it?”

“Sharp, Misaki-san.” Seiji nodded. “Dad couldn’t legally pilot, but he could still sit in the cockpit and run tests. On our first test flight he synched to the NAI first and made sure it was working properly. After all, he wasn’t about to let his ten year old son get brain damage. After running all the tests, he had me synch up. From the beginning, it throttled at around twenty percent. Thirty, at the most.”

Seiji shook his head at the memory. “You wouldn’t believe how fast he was in the cockpit, dragging me out of the seat. I’ll never forget the look on his face. He was completely terrified. The only time I saw him that scared before was during the Three Day War, when the cellar was about to collapse on us.”

“I can understand that.” Yuuna said. “The data in the literature has been pretty consistent. A properly throttled NAI is safe for anyone of any age to use. But unthrottled, we know next to nothing beyond the initial trials - the ones where all those adult pilots were injured.”

Seiji nodded. “That’s right... Anyway, Dad took me to see our doctor, who then referred me onto a neurologist. They did a bunch of tests and scans, but didn’t find anything wrong. And in the meantime, Dad tested and retested Gladius. Even did a full reinstall of the OS. And by then, he was working for Midori. So he had a few of their test pilots drop by and try it out. Every test he could throw at it came back ‘all green’.”

“But when he let you back in…”

“When he finally let me back into Gladius, it was the same result.” Seiji shrugged. “Thirty percent. And I was none the worse for wear. And then it became twenty percent, after a few months. Then ten. And now, barely anything. It’s been that way for at least five years, now? Maybe six.”

“What’s it like…?” Yuuna asked, fascinated.

“I don’t have a point of comparison.” Seiji admitted. “From what other pilots tell me, I imagine piloting with ‘normal’ neural throttling and full AI assistance is a bit like using auto-aim on a first person shooter game. For the most part, it’s pretty good. But when you want to make precision shots, it just gets in the way.”

“A bit oversimplified, but that’s an apt comparison.” Yuuna said, rubbing her chin. “It’s more than just throttling the information your brain gets from the mobile suit. The operating system’s AI actually takes everything in and processes it before it gets to the pilot’s mind. So it’s not so much the AI filling in the gaps or taking over with ‘auto-aim’. It’s more that the pilot’s given a subset of high-percentage actions he or she can take in the given situation.”

Seiji looked at Yuuna, smiling slightly. “...You really are full of surprises, Misaki-san. That’s way more than a typical pre-med should know.”

“I was briefly on the piloting track before I switched to pre-med.” Yuuna said. “It comes in handy, sometimes.”

“I’ll say. I think we lucked out into getting a pretty knowledgeable manager.”

Yuuna blushed. She was starting to feel like that was just how her face was going to be around the pilot. “A...Anyway. How does that compare to what you experience?”

Seiji frowned. “...I think if I had to fly in a throttled mobile suit, it would feel like having my wings clipped.”

Yuuna thought of the maneuvers Seiji pulled off - the high speed ‘jumps’, the sudden changes in direction, the hineri-komi. Even the way he led his targets. There were moments in both the qualifiers and during the match against Claw of the Wild where instead of ‘leading’ his targets with his projectile weapons, he’d divert them with intentionally misplaced shots, corralling them into his intended kill shot. These were generally ‘low-percentage plays’ that would either be impossible or much more difficult with a throttled OS.

“...You promise you’ve been doing this for years? And that you’ve been diligent with your yearly physicals?” Yuuna asked.

“Yes ma’am.” Seiji said. He grinned. “Though, you’re welcome to repeat my physical _any_ time.”

Yuuna didn’t react this time, instead staring Seiji down sternly. “And you’ll tell me or Hikari-sensei _immediately_ if you start showing symptoms?”

“...What will you do if I don’t? Or if I lie?” Seiji asked.

“You won’t lie.” Yuuna said, shaking her head. “I don’t think you’re the type. But if you did, then I’d quit as team manager. I refuse to preside over you killing yourself for a game.”

Seiji’s smile softened. “...Well, we can’t have that, can we? Then, I won’t lie to you.”

“Good.” Yuuna smiled back at Seiji. She looked up as their food arrived. “Oh! This looks good…” She placed her napkin on her lap, and started to work on her burger and fries with her knife and fork.She looked up, feeling Seiji burning a hole in her with his stare. To her surprise, he was looking at her with an expression of abject disapproval. “Er… Maki-san?”

Yuuna watched as he picked up his burger, taking a bite out of it.

“Like this, Misaki-san. Or friendship over.” He seemed serious.

Yuuna raised an eyebrow. “You’re serious?”

“Friendship. Over.” Seiji repeated.

Yuuna laughed. “Alright, alright…” She picked up her burger, taking a bite. Somehow, it really did taste better this way. She froze as Seiji suddenly leaned forward, reaching for her. She squeaked as his finger brushed her cheek, right at the corner of her lips. He sat back.

“Just some ketchup, there.” Seiji said.

“Oh. Th-thanks--!!” Yuuna made another odd, high-pitched sound as Seiji casually stuck his finger tip between his lips, licking the ketchup off.

After that speed bump, the rest of the meal passed by quickly. Too quickly, in fact. Yuuna stood up with Seiji.

“So, team meeting tomorrow morning?” Seiji asked.

Yuuna nodded. “I checked with Hikari-sensei. That’s the only time she can make it.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Seiji said, nodding. They left the diner. Yuuna looked at Seiji, expecting him to offer her a lift home (as usual). Instead, he was silent. He seemed a little uncomfortable, in fact.

“Maki-san? What’s wrong?” Yuuna peered up at him. “You got quiet all of a sudden. ...Oh. And what’s this on your arm…?”

She plucked a metallic pink star off the elbow of his jacket. “That’s odd. This looks like something out of an arts and crafts… ...store…”

Yuuna’s jaw hit the floor as they rounded the corner. She covered her mouth with both hands.

Seiji’s bike was sparkling in the sun, completely covered in glitter.

“What… what happened?! It looks like your motorcycle was dragged into an alley and beaten up by a tag team of Tinkerbell and Sailor Moon!” Yuuna tried and failed to contain her laughter. Her hands dropped as she held her sides, trying to contain herself. It was too much. Seiji, the pilot who had ‘the right stuff’ standing by his trusty, glittered steed. The expression on his face reminded her of a childhood friend’s cat after the poor thing had tripped over its own feet chasing a laser pointer.

Seiji sighed. “Nikki happened. It’s not important. I’d offer you a ride home, but…”

Yuuna suppressed the last of her giggles. She looked up at Seiji seriously. “I’ll take you up on it, Maki-san. After all, there could be hoodlums.”

A child ran by, flying a kite with his friends. Their laughter was almost musical.

Seiji blinked. He slowly smiled, before nodding gravely. “Mm. All these idle youths could give a young lady like yourself no end of trouble. Shall we, then?”

Yuuna took hold of the spare helmet that she had grown familiar with over the past few weeks of going to and from ACE on Seiji’s motorcycle.

“Mmhm!”

>>>

April 18, 2049 (Sunday) 

“C’mon, Kaori! SHOUTime is _way_ better than ACE 2049-11!”

“I’d take 2049-11 any day of the week, Shou!” Kaori snapped, as the two pilots walked into the office/conference room at the back of the team’s hangar. She took a seat at the table and huffed, turning her red-hued eyes to Seiji. “Can you tell your ‘bro’ to lay off? He won’t shut up about it.”

Shou scratched his chin. “Hm… Bro. Team ‘Brotime’ might be pretty good, too. More inclusive.”

Valerie, already sitting at the conference table, raised her eyebrow. “How’s that more inclusive? There’s only two boys on the team.”

“Even girls can be bros, Val.” Seiji replied. “I mean, Kaori can drink anyone under the table.”

Kaori squawked. She glared at Seiji _and_ Shou, particularly as the two bumped knuckles without even having to look at each other.

Yuki looked up from her latte with a serene smile. “Don’t mind Seiji-chan, Itami-san. He never quite grew up past the ‘tugging on pigtails’ stage. Why, when he was little--”

Seiji coughed loudly. “Anyway. Everyone’s here.”

Kaori nodded. “Yuuna? Can you take us through the agenda you sent out?”

Yuuna stood up, gesturing at the table. The agenda for the meeting materialized in the air in front of them. “Yes. First of all, we do need to address a team name. Understandably, Dasshu wants something a little catchier than ‘ACE 2049-11’.”

“So BroTime is a go-- crap!” Shou ducked as Kaori threw a small spanner at him.

“Dasshu suggested the ‘Dasshu Dashers’...” Yuuna said.

Everyone around the table grimaced.

Mayu shook her head. “That’s… actually terrible.”

“I thought so too. So…” Yuuna paused, looking at Seiji. He nodded, giving her an encouraging smile. “I countered with ‘Velocity’.”

The team fell silent for a few moments. Almost simultaneously, they nodded their assent. Shou grinned, flashing a thumbs-up.

“Nice, Manager Yuuna! I think we can make a pretty _quick_ decision about _Velocity_.”

Kaori sighed, shaking her head. Mayu suppressed a light giggle.

“I’ll let them know, then.” Yuuna said. “The next thing… Hikari-sensei? You wanted to address this, right?”

Yuki nodded from her seat near the wall. “I’m going to try to be hands-off for the most part, other than trying to keep a leash on Saito. But something I didn’t see on the agenda was setting a goal for the season. Up until now, you’ve all basically been trying to tread water, or just stay ahead of what people have thrown at you. Now, you have a sponsor, a hangar, and a full team, including support staff. Before you make other plans, you need to decide what you want to accomplish.”

“I agree.” Kaori said. “We should all think about what we want to do individually, but today, we should decide what we want to do as a team.”

Mayu looked at the projection over the middle of the table, where the room’s NAI had helpfully provided a blank ‘whiteboard’ to write the team’s objective. “...We could aim for a winning record by the end of the season?”.

“Oh! Or how about getting into ACE’s final four for the summer tournament?” Shou said.

“Final four?” Seiji asked.

“To determine who goes onto the AJI National tournament, Maki-san.” Yuuna said. “In Japan, PARDA schools all run intramural competitions to determine who they’re going to send on to national competitions. ACE is big enough that at the end of the season, we have the top four squadrons fight it out in a single-elimination mini-tournament for the right to move on to the national stage.”

“Yeah. And the next major tournament is the Summer Nationals, after exams.” Shou said. “It would be pretty awesome if we made it to the final four.”

“I see…” Seiji said.

“That sounds pretty reasonable, actually…” Kaori started writing ‘Final Four’ on the ‘whiteboard’

“One second, Captain. Let me just add something...” Seiji leaned forward, taking control of the display. Except for Yuki, who just smirked slightly, the rest of the team stared incredulously as Seiji added ‘Win’ to the front of the goal.

“B...Bro! Are you serious?”

Mayu frowned. “...Likely, the Final Four this year is going to include Onna Bugeisha, Exceed, and Reborn. All of them are veteran teams, with second and third string pilots and multiple sponsors.”

“I figured.” Seiji said, sitting back. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m playing to win. To tell you the truth, at CINY we wouldn’t have even accepted what I’ve written up there as a goal. Our goal wasn’t to win regionals or NCAA. Our goal was to win. Period. We were in it to win the PARDA Games.”

There was a brief silence in the room as the group considered Seiji’s words. The powerhouse countries of PARDA as far as Windshear went were Australia and Japan. It wasn’t unheard of for a North American team to do well from time to time, but it was invariably a team from the Canadian Interuniversity Sports. The NCAA, based in a country that was still rebuilding, simply didn’t stand a chance.

“We weren’t stupid.” Seiji said. He paused, smiling nostalgically. “Well. We were, but we knew what we were in for. We knew that we’d probably never even get _close_ to entering the games. But ‘probably’ isn’t the same as ‘never’. We wouldn’t have been able to push that team from Vancouver as far as we did if we hadn’t all been committed to winning.”

Yuki spoke up. “It’s true. CINY was projected to lose on the second lane. All the analysts thought that Liquid was going to lose all four mechs at the first blockade. But they were leading by a point up until the final minutes of the match, when Gladius finally lost power.”

“...Seriously? It was that close?” Shou asked.

“Yes.” Yuki nodded. “It’s not talked about much in the rest of PARDA because no one follows the NCAA. But, Seiji-chan’s right. Why not aim to win? There’s a reason why we have the Final Four, and don’t just hand the right to represent over to Reborn or Exceed.”

Valerie grinned. “Heh. Sounds good to me! We’ve got a _lot_ of work to do, though.”

Kaori sighed. “Yep. To begin with, we’ll need to start coming up with some preferred strategies. We can’t hope to win by just reacting to what other teams do… We have to impose our will on the matches.”

“And to do that, we need to learn how we best complement each other’s strengths…” Mayu said.

“Hikari-sensei and I will do the best we can to get you all more practice time, especially with Golden Week coming up.” Yuuna said. “But you should know that the best teams do as much as they can together, even outside of practice. The school will make allowances for that, too. Now that you’re all an official team, you’ll be allowed to change your class schedules a bit so that you’re together more often. I’d suggest doing that at least for Physical Training and Conditioning, since first and second year pilots take that one together.”

The meeting continued, with Valerie showing her notes and plans for each of their suits, and the pilots starting to draw up rudimentary tactics based on their current specifications. At the end, Seiji and his aunt were the last to leave.

Aunt Yuki looked at the projected whiteboard, now permanently displayed on one of the walls of the conference room/office.

“Win the Final Four, huh…?” She murmured.

“Aunt Yuki?”

Yuki smiled at Seiji. “I’m just thinking about how your father would be proud, Seiji-chan.”

“Oh…” Seiji said. He glanced at the floor for a moment, before being buried in a hug. “Mmph?!”

“You need to be careful looking so handsome and vulnerable, Seiji-chan.” Yuki laughed, the woman demonstrating surprising strength as Seiji struggled. “Or someone will come and steal you away from Misaki-san.”

Seiji pulled back, gasping. “We’re not like that!”

“...Yet.” Yuki grinned.

Seiji shook his head, smiling despite himself. He took out his phone as it buzzed.

**KH: Hey, Seiji. Are you going to be coming home for dinner? You missed a couple meals last week, so you should really make sure you get home tonight, okay?**

Aunt Yuki looked over Seiji’s shoulder curiously. She raised her eyebrow in surprise.

“He’s such a worrywart sometimes…” Seiji said. “He’s always looking out for me and Nikki. Even though he still works pretty hard. We can’t thank him enough.”

“Really? That’s a bit surprising…” Yuki murmured, thoughtfully.

Seiji eyed his aunt. He stuck his hands in his pocket as they left the hangar, speaking casually. “He’s a really good guy, actually. I didn’t think he’d be so family-oriented--Urk!”

“Look at my cute little nephew, playing wingman for his uncle. Hee hee~”

“Can’t… breathe!”

>>>

April 19, 2049 (Monday) 

Seiji left the parking lot behind him as he walked towards his first class of the day. He yawned noisily, and stretched out his arms - he halted mid-stretch, feeling something warm and slightly elastic at his fingertips. He blinked, looking over.

Shou stood there, essentially asleep on his feet. His face was contorted around Seiji’s finger, which had poked into his cheek.

“Mmpph…” Shou mumbled, not bothering to extricate the finger. “Morning, Bro.”

Seiji dropped his hand. “Morning, Shou. Sorry.”

The brunette yawned loudly as the pair were joined by Kaori and Mayu. The girls looked to be in better shape than Seiji and Shou, but the two of them didn’t look thrilled to be there at 0600, either.

“Man. I can’t believe this was the only PTC class left with four open slots.” Shou groaned. He checked the time, frowning. “Actually, I totally can.”

“Let’s get a move on.” Kaori sighed. “The sooner we get dressed and warmed up, the faster we’ll feel awake.”

“Right, right…”

“Good morning, everyone!”

The four pilots turned. Seiji looked on in surprise as Yuuna approached, carrying a drink tray with four disposable cups in it. The American shook his head. “Misaki-san, we specifically told you that we didn’t need you to show up this early. This is on the pilots.”

She smiled. “I have to be here at 0700 on Mondays, anyway. This isn’t that much earlier. Besides, I’m your manager, aren’t I?”

“At least ask me for a ride, then.”

“If I had done that, then I wouldn’t have been able to get you all coffee.” Yuuna handed a cup to each of the pilots.

“Manager Yuuna…!” Shou looked like he was on the verge of tears as he gratefully accepted his. “Onee-sama…!”

“Thank you, Yuuna!” Mayu smiled.

Kaori nodded. “Yeah, thanks. Where’s the coffee from?”

“My part-time job.” Yuuna said. “Anyway, I’m going to head to the library and get some studying done. Train hard, guys!”

Shou sipped at his coffee. “Huh. The place where she works is near the park, isn’t it? She must really care about this manager gig to go out of the way like that.”

Kaori and Mayu exchanged glances with each other before staring flatly at Seiji.

“...What?” Seiji waved his coffee. “It’s not like I _asked_ her to come out.”

“No. But it’s really nice having a capable manager.” Mayu said.

Kaori nodded. “And it’d be nice if we _kept_ having a capable manager, Seiji. Don’t screw this up.”

“How would I screw this up--”

Both girls glared at the prodigious flirt.

“Alright, alright…” Seiji chuckled.

The four pilots of Velocity got changed into the academy-issued t-shirts and shorts before making their way into the gym, where a number of other students already waited for class to start. Physical Training and Conditioning was a required course only for students in the armored combat track at ACE Academy, though engineering and medical science students were more than welcome to take the class as one of their electives. Given the early hour of this particular time slot though, the students present were all armored combat.

“Ah, crap. I think there’s another reason why this time slot isn’t that popular…” Shou grumbled.

On the other side of the gym, Suguru Suguo warmed up alongside Souta Tanaka - half of Exceed’s starting lineup. Surprise momentarily crossed his features before he smirked derisively at the group, whispering something to Tanaka. The two laughed, continuing on with their warm up.

“Looks like the concussion didn’t improve his personality at all.” Seiji said. “And so much for the broken arm. Makes you wish for the days before AR pods, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Kaori grumbled. “We’ll deal with it. If we’re all here together, there won’t be much reason for us to interact with anyone outside our squadron.”

As if on cue, another student approached the group. He was a little shorter than Shou, and sported short, messy green hair to go with his dark blue eyes. “...Hey, Itami-san. Shou-kun.”

Kaori nodded curtly, but just crossed her arms, saying nothing.

Shou turned, looking between Kaori and the newcomer awkwardly. “Oh. Uh, hey, Hiro.” He looked to Seiji and Mayu. “Guys, this is Hiroyuki Yamato. He’s one of the starters on Exceed.”

Mayu and Seiji introduced themselves.

Hiro smiled politely. “I watched your match against Claw of the Wild. You guys were pretty impressive. It’s also been a while since I’ve seen someone pull a hineri-komi in a mobile suit before, Maki-san.”

 _‘Hm. Misaki-san said the same thing, but didn’t want to get into it…’_ Seiji smiled back. “Thanks. Who did the last one you saw, Yamato-san?”

“Well, I--”

“Hey! Yamato! No fraternizing with losers!” Suguru shouted. “Get back here!”

Hiro grimaced. “...Sorry, guys. Best of luck in the season.” He turned, jogging over to the other two pilots from Exceed. They were soon joined by a fourth - a petite, violet-haired girl with emerald green eyes. The girl wasn’t really talking to the other three. Instead, she just glowered across the gym… At Mayu.

“Hm. Looks like not all of Exceed are jerks.” Seiji said. “And it looks like Mayu has a fan. Who’s the girl?”

Mayu tilted her head curiously. “I’m not sure. She looks a little familiar, but I can’t quite place her.”

“As for Yamato, he’s not a bad guy.” Kaori sighed. “...Just tends to go along with the flow, even when he shouldn’t.”

The instructor, Hideki Matsui, blew his whistle. “Gather up! Today we’re going to run through SCS basics. At the end of the class, those of you who are taking the option classes are going to spar. There should be an odd number of you, so the odd man out’s going to help me drill the beginners more. Pair off!”

The class went as Seiji anticipated it would - pilots from the same team stuck together for drills, working not only on their SCS skills but also team cohesion. The most interaction any of them had with Exceed was glaring at each other during Matsui’s demonstrations. The only issue was going to be during the sparring matches for the advanced students. Souta and Suguru from Exceed were intermediate-level SCS practitioners, along with Seiji and Kaori. Another five students from other teams rounded out the sparring group.

 _‘Well. Guess I’ll get to see what they’re both made of outside of a mobile suit.’_ Seiji thought, doing some dynamic stretching.

Suguru raised his hand. “Matsui-sensei? I can’t participate in sparring, yet. Doctor’s orders.”

Matsui frowned. “Right. You’re still on concussion protocol, aren’t you? Are you even cleared to be doing drills?”

Suguru nodded. “Yes. Just not sparring.” He shot Seiji a look. “As much as I’d like to.”

Matsui waved at the beginner group. “Then you’ll be helping me. The rest of you, start. Pay attention! Stop short and pay attention to tap-outs.” He frowned, his phone beeping. “Go on without me. I need to take a call.”

 _‘Well. Don’t need to deal with that bucket of sunshine, at least.’_ Seiji thought, watching as Suguru was already berating one of the beginners with Matsui out of the room.

Seiji squared off with Souta.

“Tch. Let’s see how you do when your opponent’s actually ready for you, gaijin.” Souta growled, raising his hands.

Seiji gave Souta an accommodating smile. “Are you sure you’re ready to start? Don’t you want to find a girl to harass to get warmed up?”

“Shut up, Yankee. Let’s go.”

Seiji bobbed under a jab, immediately shooting and scoring a single-leg takedown. He scrambled to shift his grip, aiming for a submission ankle lock. He grimaced as Souta planted his foot against his shoulder, shoving him hard while simultaneously scrambling back. Seiji doggedly pursued him across the mat, but his opponent actually did have skill - it seemed that the joint lock he had gotten him into when he was harassing Yuuna was at least partly due to luck.

The American feinted going for a knee bar, waiting for Souta to grab at him in defense. Seiji immediately shifted, grabbing his hand and putting him into an arm bar as he fell to his back, his legs braced across Souta’s chest.

“Tap out!” Seiji snarled.

“Fuck you, man!” Souta started slapping at Seiji’s leg with his free hand. Seiji swore as Souta actually _scratched_ him.

“The hell are you doing?! Tap out!” Seiji increased the pressure. Souta let out a strangled scream, but still refused to tap out. If anything, he had a solid pain tolerance. Seiji shook his head. He didn’t want to break his arm - this wasn’t a real fight. But giving into Souta’s refusal to tap out was aggravating as well.

Seiji’s eyes widened as another body appeared above him. One of the beginners entered his vision, apparently stumbling and falling. Seiji swore as a forearm hit him in the face. The beginner flailed and struggled to stand.

Seiji was caught in a tangle of limbs. He managed to roll away, getting up onto a knee.

_‘The fuck happened-- !?’_

Seiji was knocked onto his back by a hard roundhouse kick.

Souta sneered. “You need to keep your eyes on your opponent, gaijin. That’s a point for me.”

Kaori stopped sparring against her opponent. “What the hell, Tanaka!? You’re supposed to stop short!”

“Accidents happen.” Souta shrugged, looking at Seiji’s fallen form. “Besides. I didn’t kick that hard. I think he even got a hand up to block it--”

A blonde-haired flash closed the distance immediately. Seiji leapt into the air, slamming his knee into Souta’s jaw. The Exceed skirmisher crumpled to the floor bonelessly, knocked clean out.

“Sure did.” Seiji said, rubbing his cheek. A bruise was already forming there, but the roundhouse kick clearly hadn’t hit him full force.

“Bro! Behind you!”

Seiji turned in time to duck under a sucker punch aimed at the back of his head from Suguru. He raised his hands into an orthodox guard. “I thought you were on the protocol, Suguo.”

“That was before I saw you _assault_ one of my teammates.” Exceed’s captain said loudly.

“Yelling a lie doesn’t make it true, asshole.”

“He’s the one that threw Watanabe into your fight, Bro.” Shou approached. “I bet they planned this. If you think you can have a two-on-one fight against _my_ teammate Suguo, you’ve got another thing coming-- oof!”

Shou was tackled by one of Exceed’s second-stringers as the morning PTC class broke out into a brawl.

>>>

“Honestly… I know you wanted to work on team cohesion, but fighting back to back in a brawl in the middle of class is _not_ the way to bond as a squadron!” Yuki said, carefully inspecting the bruise on Seiji’s cheek. She had just finished bandaging Kaori’s knuckles, and Yuuna was seeing to Shou and Mayu’s minor scrapes. They were just outside the office of ACE Academy’s Director, Mizuki Sanada.

“They started it.” Seiji grimaced as Yuki shined her penlight in his face.

Yuki rolled her eyes. “That may be so, but Saito’s in there right now with Exceed. Knowing him, he’s pushing hard for at _least_ a suspension.”

Yuuna bit her lip. “Is that a possibility?”

Yuki shook her head. “Not likely. There’s multiple witnesses, and the gym has cameras. But Saito’s influential at ACE, and Suguo’s father is an admiral. Even if Exceed is punished for this, we might get some backlash in other ways.”

“And people call America a backwater.” Seiji sighed, rubbing his cheek. “But corruption and nepotism are alive and well right here in modern, civilized Japan.”

“People are people, no matter how much technology you give them.” Yuki grumbled.

The door to the office opened.

“This is _absurd_ , Director Sanada!” Saito yelled as he led two members of Exceed’s starting lineup out. “Your predecessor wouldn’t have let an American mongrel even set foot in this school, let alone train as a pilot! And now this mockery of justice--”

“I said we’re done, here.” A cool, collected voice replied from within the office. “Though, if your ego’s fragile enough that you can’t let a woman have the last word, by all means, fire away.”

Saito raised a finger. His mouth moved soundlessly. “..Hmph!” 

He stormed off, followed by Hiro and the unnamed violet-haired girl. Who was _still_ glaring at Mayu. Suguo and Tanaka were in the campus hospital, undergoing treatment.

Seiji pushed off the wall. “Time to face the music.”

“Don’t look too surprised, by the way.” Yuki said.

“About what?” Seiji asked.

For the first time this morning, Yuki seemed back to her mischievous self. “You’ll see.”

The team walked in. Seiji performed a double take at the Director of ACE Academy - and by extension, one of the most powerful people at PARDA’s military base in Isokaze. She was a decorated officer, one of the youngest ever to hold the rank of major general at the age of thirty-nine. She was on the frontlines during the PARDA counter-offensive in the Three Day War.

Mizuki Sanada sat behind a dark oak desk, her face behind steepled fingers. A shockingly youthful, pretty face. A beauty mark decorated her chin; dark brown hair brushed her shoulders. She studied each member of Velocity in turn with reddish-brown eyes framed by rimless glasses.

She sighed.

“Well? What’s your side of the story?” She took off her glasses, rubbing her face as she motioned at Seiji to speak.

All thoughts of trying to sell the story in his favor fled from his mind at the look she gave him from between her fingers. This was not a woman to be trifled with.

Seiji stood at attention. “Sir! I was sparring with Tanaka, and had him in an arm bar. He refused to tap out. While this was happening, another student was thrown into us. After I rolled away, Tanaka caught me off guard with a roundhouse kick. I then retaliated by catching _him_ off guard with a flying knee strike. Suguo took exception to this and attacked me from behind. After this, a brawl broke out as another member of Exceed tackled Shou. Sir.”

Kaori, Shou, and Mayu each spoke their pieces.

Sanada listened quietly, before nodding. “What you’re saying is consistent with what the security footage shows. Your version of this morning’s events is closer to the truth than what Saito was trying to sell. He says you targeted Suguo, who’s still on concussion protocol.”

Seiji breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, sir. I--”

“So both teams are going to forfeit an equal amount of practice time over the next three weeks.”

Seiji lost his composure. “What the hell!? Are you serious?!”

Director Sanada just arched a single eyebrow in response.

“Maki-san!” Yuuna hissed.

Seiji paled, but stuck to his guns. “How is that fair, sir?”

Sanada sighed, leaning back in her chair. “It isn’t. But it’s the best thing I can do for you. Did you consider why Matsui-sensei left the gym at that time?”

“No, sir. He said he was taking a call.”

“He was. A call from Nobuyuki Saito.” Sanada said, shaking her head. “Don’t get me wrong. Matsui isn’t involved in this; he honestly thought that Saito needed to speak with him. But the timing was perfect, wouldn’t you say? Saito created an opportunity for Suguo to try to instigate something.”

Yuki nodded slowly. “It makes sense why you’d want to punish both teams, Director Sanada.”

Shou blinked. “...It does? How?”

“Because if only Exceed gets punished, then Saito’s likely to escalate this even further.” Yuki grumbled. “This way, he’s pissed, but he’s not going to do something like try to sabotage the practices you _do_ get.”

Seiji looked at Sanada. Even in America, her reputation as an incredible soldier and officer was well-known and respected. It didn’t make sense that she’d back down - even slightly - to a man like Saito.

“With all due respect, Director - why don’t you just fire him?” Seiji asked.

Sanada chuckled. “I’d love to. Both literally and figuratively. The man’s a decent academic, but he’s a dinosaur otherwise. The trouble is, so are many of his colleagues. Your transfer into ACE almost didn’t happen, Maki.”

“So why _did_ it happen?” Seiji asked.

The Director turned in her chair, nodding at a series of plaques on the wall. The most recent awards seemed much smaller, indicating placement of no better than 5th place in Windshear national competition. “ACE has a reputation as one of the best armored combat schools in PARDA… But this is largely based on ACE’s record as a Japanese military academy before PARDA came into existence, and the first few years after. We haven’t gone past nationals and made it to the PARDA games since 2037.”

“I was brought in to turn things around.” She sighed. “My predecessor believed the issue was that we weren’t ‘Japanese enough’ - that the best way to success was to roll back to how ACE was, pre-PARDA. That resulted in men like Saito being given tenure, and even though we haven’t had the results to show for it, it’s next to impossible to get rid of them.”

Sanada turned back to Velocity, laying eyes on Seiji and Valerie in particular.

“As you might imagine, my philosophy’s a bit different. ACE’s motto is ‘Mastery for Service’. In my opinion, to attain mastery, we need the best talent available. And I’ll take it wherever I can get it. Whether it’s a French engineering student who breaks into hangars out of curiosity, an American who gets a bucket of bolts to fly like a falcon, or a Chinese pilot who fights like a combat veteran. _That’s_ how I’m going to turn things around and drive the dinosaurs to extinction. I want teams like yours and Reborn to make ACE relevant again. Once we do, I expect it’ll silence the old guard pretty effectively.”

The team exchanged glances and small smiles. It seemed that their ragtag group’s overly-ambitious goal had backing from the very top.

“...But, it’ll be pretty damned hard without practice time!” Sanada snapped. “Don’t take Exceed’s bait next time! I’ve forcibly changed the schedule so you won’t run into each other in PTC, but I can’t police everything. Dismissed!”

The group turned to leave. As they reached the door, Sanada spoke up again.

“Ah. Except you, Misaki. A word.”

Yuuna turned, heading back towards the Director’s desk. She stopped in her tracks. Seiji had caught hold of her hand. “Maki-san...?”

Seiji glanced at the Director, then back at Yuuna. “Do you know what this is about? Are you going to be alright?”

Yuuna smiled reassuringly. She squeezed Seiji’s hand. “Mm. I’ll text you.”

“Ah, youth…” Yuki sighed.

Sanada smirked at the pair. “Lucky there’s no fraternization regs, Maki.”

The two students hastily let go. Seiji beat a hasty retreat as his aunt slung her arm over his shoulders, chuckling at the red-faced blonde.

>>>

April 29, 2049 (Thursday) 

Classes were not in session at ACE for Golden Week, which ran from the 29th of April through to the 5th of May. Few people in Isokaze took the time off, however. While the town wasn’t a _major_ tourist destination, Isokaze was located on the southern tip of Kyushu - temperatures were already approaching the mid-twenties, which meant many people took the opportunity to visit the nearby beaches. For local businesses, this meant a chance to make a little more profit. 

As for ACE students, they were generally expected to prepare for midterm examinations, less than two weeks away. That, or if they were on an AJI Windshear squadron, they were expected to practice. Windshear squadrons who _weren’t_ banned from using school practice fields, anyway.

Shou and Seiji jogged around Central Park, side by side. Despite the relatively measured pace, both boys were sweating profusely. Partly due to the day’s warm temperature, but also due to their friendly competition.

“Just… just one more interval, right?” Shou panted.

Seiji nodded. “Yep. Fifth one is the last one. Score’s 2-2, Shou.” He grinned. “You’re looking a little out of breath there, buddy. Sure you still want to go ahead with the bet?”

Shou scoffed. “You haven’t even seen my final form, Bro.”

Seiji grinned. The boys’ phones, worn on armbands, beeped simultaneously.

They took off at a hard sprint, their feet pounding the paved pathway. For the first three quarters of the interval, Seiji held the lead. The blonde watched in surprise as Shou poured on the speed, finishing the last hundred metres one step ahead of his teammate. The two came to a halt near the park’s playground.

Seiji shook his head, his hands on his hips as he panted. “You weren’t kidding, Shou. Hell of a burst. ...Shou?”

Shou was doubled over; he had his hands on his knees. He raised one finger. “Just… Just a second…”

“You _really_ emptied the tank.” Seiji said. He stretched, looking down the path of the idyllic park. “Why did you… Oh. Heh.”

Just a few metres ahead of them were a group of girls, in town to enjoy the beaches. They were all college-aged; a few of them were already in swimsuits, with loose-fitting cover ups that didn’t leave _that_ much to the imagination. One of them glanced over her shoulder at Shou, who stood up straight to flash a confident grin at her. She tilted her head, smiling as she considered the affable brunette. Until his face contorted, and he doubled over again, coughing. The girl turned away, giggling.

Seiji smiled sympathetically, patting Shou’s back. “Sorry, man. So what’s my penalty for losing to you?”

“Ahem… Ah… Pull-ups.” Shou nodded at the two bars on the playground. “Thirty.”

Seiji nodded. He walked over to the bars, jumping up and grasping the metal. He smiled, looking at Shou as he worked. “You know, there’s such a thing as trying too hard, too.”

“Easy for you to say.” Shou muttered. He glanced over at the group of girls. They hadn’t left; instead, they were now watching the American pilot serve his penalty with more than casual interest. He sighed. “Honestly, I’m still just trying to distract myself from midterms and the fact that we can’t practice. This really sucks.”

Seiji dropped down the bar as he finished his set. “I know. Especially after what Misaki-san found out about Stryker letting Exceed practice on their private test fields. It’s too bad that Dasshu is too small to have anything like that.”

“If we don’t get any practice time during Golden Week, we’re going to be in tough when play resumes… Man, and I kinda got my hopes up after Yuuna got called in to speak with Sanada alone… Didn’t she say that the Director was going to try to help us out a little? All that happened was sending us those spare parts from ACE’s Cenorobotics Lab.”

Seiji crossed his arms, rubbing his chin. “She did say that. Hard to believe that’s the only thing they talked about, though… I didn’t pry, though. I got the sense that it was personal.”

Shou purchased a couple sports drinks from a nearby vending machine, handing one to Seiji. “I bet you she’d tell you if you asked, Bro.”

Seiji took the bright blue drink. “We’re close because I _don’t_ push, Shou. I mean, I’m not blind. From the way people talk about and around her, it’s obvious that something happened in first year. But she seems to like that Valerie and I treat her like everyone else.”

The brunette smiled wryly. “I don’t think you treat Yuuna like _everyone else_ , Seiji. Why do you still call her ‘Misaki-san’?”

Seiji grinned. “Because I think her head might explode if I called her ‘Yuuna’.”

Shou blinked. “...So you know she likes you? Like, _likes_ you likes you?”

“Pretty sure.” Seiji said. “Pretty sure I _like_ her like her, too.”

“Then why don’t you ask her out?!”

“Like I said, we’re close because I don’t push.” Seiji gulped down his drink, sighing as the ice cold fluid hit the spot. “I don’t want to screw that up. And it just doesn’t feel like the right time.”

“I don’t know. If you both like each other, then shouldn’t _any_ time be the right time?”

“Might say the same thing about you and Mayu, buddy.” Seiji shrugged.

Shou did a spit take; he turned more red than the run should have allowed for. “Haha… That’s… that’s really funny. …Did she say something?”

Seiji shrugged. His phone chimed again.

**VB: Hey, you busy? Come to the hangar. Got something to show you**

**SM: Told you, I’m not that kind of girl**

**VB: Lucky for you, I am ♥ But seriously. If your bestie’s with you, bring him too. I’ll let the girls know.**

“Looks like we have something to do, Shou.” Seiji said, starting to jog back towards campus.

Shou caught up, looking at Seiji. “Seriously, man! Did she say something?!”

>>>

“So what’s this about, Valerie-chan?” Yuuna asked. She was the first to arrive in the hangar after Valerie’s text.

Valerie turned in her chair, wearing her engineer’s coveralls with her long hair tied up in a ponytail. “You’ll see. Let’s wait for everyone else to arrive, it’ll go faster if I only have to explain once.”

The French exchange student motioned to another chair. She grinned crookedly at Yuuna. “Surprised to see you alone, Yuuna. Haven’t you been studying a lot with Seiji lately?”

To Yuuna’s credit, she managed to suppress any visible reaction to the teasing remark. “I had tennis practice, and Maki-san wanted to do some training with Shou-kun.”

“Heh. Still can’t call him ‘Seiji’, huh?” Valerie’s grin widened.

“I… I can!” Yuuna huffed, glaring at Valerie.

“Then do it.”

“Hmph. Seiji…” Yuuna started, still managing to look nonchalant.

“Yes?”

Yuuna jumped, turning around to see the remainder of the team - including the blonde pilot of Gladius. He smiled at her. Her eyes widened; her face turned red.

“...Maki-san.” Yuuna managed to finish. She looked over her shoulder, shooting a look of betrayal at Valerie.

The engineer just winked at Yuuna, whispering to the girl as she passed by. “I’m rooting for you, Yuuna.”

Valerie walked over to a corner of the hangar, where a spare console and holographic projector sat in the center of a square formed by four spare cockpit seats. The set-up was interconnected with a series of cables that had been duct-taped to the floor, and four helmets were sitting on each of the beaten-up looking chairs. She grinned enthusiastically.

“Here it is!”

Kaori looked at the chairs, and then the mess of cables and console. “...What are we looking at, exactly?”

“Your new state-of-the-art, NAI-powered virtual reality combat simulator.” Valerie picked up a helmet. “Who wants to dive in first?”

One of the chairs crackled; electricity arced through the air and sparks flew. The team eyed each other askance, then the chairs, and then Valerie again.

“Uh… You go first, Bro.” Shou said, nudging Seiji forward.

Kaori waved her hand. “Before _anyone_ goes first… Valerie, where did all of this even come from?”

“Besides my _genius_?” Valerie grinned. “It was in that huge pile of junk the Director gave us. ...Actually, it wasn’t junk at all. More like a massive, disorganized puzzle. All the parts I needed to make this thing were right there.”

“Hm. It makes some sense.” Mayu said, looking curiously at the set-up. “Director Sanada can’t make her assistance too obvious, or Saito would cry foul. But why go through all the trouble to make a simulator like this? Our machines can run sims as well.”

“Not like this they can’t.” Valerie said. “Here’s the thing. All of these parts by themselves, true. Not so special. But combined with the combat data and a few other things I learned from Seiji’s nearly unthrottled NAI… This is different. It’s hard to explain without actually being _in_ it. But trust me - it’s safe.”

Seiji stepped forward. “Well… If it’s based on Gladius’ combat data, then I’ll take the leap first.”

Seiji sat down in one of the chairs, donning the helmet.

“Just lie down and relax, Seiji. When the program starts, your physical body won’t actually be able to move.” Valerie said, working on the haptic interface at the central console.

Seiji startled. “Wait, what? You didn’t say anything about--”

“Annnnd go!”

Seiji fell back against his chair. A holographic readout displayed his vital signs and a number of other parameters.

Yuuna bolted to Seiji’s side, her eyes wide and face pale. “Maki-san! Valerie, what did you _do!?”_

“Misaki-san, relax.” Seiji’s voice filled the air, but his mouth was unmoving. He seemed to be speaking from the central console.

A projection of the archipelago Windshear battlefield, the one where Velocity qualified as an official team, appeared above the central console. At the first beacon, Gladius stood on the ground.

“This… this is _insane_ , Val. I feel like I’m actually in Gladius, on the field!”

“I know, right? Welcome to ACE Academy’s first true virtual reality Windshear simulator.” A cunning grin spread across the engineer’s face. “As far as I’m concerned, Exceed can have Stryker’s testing ground. With this, I can give you any battlefield, any suit, and any weapons you want.”

>>>

July 2, 2049 (Friday, Two Months Later)

“HiHi~! This is Ai-chan, here with a special afternoon edition of ACE Update!” Yuuka Aisaka, the ever-perky president of the Journalism Club, stood just outside Velocity’s hangar, beaming at the camera. “Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re well-aware that one of ACE’s newest teams, Velocity, has been taking AJI Windshear competition by storm! After taking apart their first opponents after Golden Week with their incredibly cohesive attack and innovative strategy, they’ve now ridden that momentum to a 6-0 season and a berth in the Final Four! Here they come now, victorious after their final game of the spring season!”

The hovering camera panned to the tarmac; the four mobile suits comprising Velocity’s squadron landed in perfect formation.

“Let’s see if we can’t get a word with the team! Especially a _certain_ blonde import, who’s been making hearts race with more than just his death-defying maneuvers!” Yuuka started to head into the open hangar, followed by her camera.

She was intercepted by Velocity’s team manager. “Excuse me? You can’t go in right now!”

“Why not? The people have a right to know!”

“The team needs to debrief! I’m their manager, you can’t…”

Shou turned from the holoscreen behind the bar in ACE Academy’s pilot lounge, grinning at Seiji. “She’s pretty cute when she’s jealous, isn’t she?”

“Heh. Yeah.” Seiji chuckled. In the past few weeks, it wasn’t just Velocity that was doing well. He and Yuuna had grown closer, especially as he started joining her for tennis. It was a good workout, once one got over the terrifying speed of Yuuna’s serves and smashes. He had a good motivator, though. She looked incredible in the skirt. He wasn't surprised that the Journalism Club hadn't bothered to edit out Yuuna's appearance on the feature, even though it had been recorded hours earlier. The magenta-haired manager was starting to gain her own following as whatever reputation that was haunting her started to fade from the forefront of everyone's minds.

“Really, Bro. Just ask her out.” Shou rolled his eyes, speaking in unison with Seiji’s response. “...The time isn’t right. I know.” Shou shook his head. “Seriously, though! You two are practically dating!”

“You’re one to talk.” Seiji laughed. “How much ‘special practice’ have you done with Mayu, Shou?”

“Th… that’s different! The new system that Valerie installed on our suits is…”

“...Nothing to sneeze at.” Seiji finished, grinning. “The Artemis targeting system needs lots of practice, and Mayu and I are just taking it seriously! We aren’t flirting!”

The two male members of Velocity grinned at each other ruefully before laughing at themselves.

“Tell you what, Shou. I’ll ask Misaki-san out when you ask Mayu out. Deal?” He raised his beer glass.

Shou nodded gravely, clinking his glass against Seiji’s. “Then, to our continued cowardice and lack of girlfriends.”

“Cheers.” Seiji laughed.

“Tch. Acting pretty full of yourselves for lucking into the Final Four.”

Seiji sighed, looking over his shoulder at Suguo. Apparently Exceed’s captain couldn’t resist an opportunity to ruin Seiji and Shou’s good moods. He was joined of course by Souta Tanaka, his ever-present sidekick.

“Seriously, Suguo? You want to talk about luck? Didn’t Exceed just barely make it in after you were sidelined most of the season because of that concussion?”

“A concussion that was _your_ fault.”

“I’m too impressed by how much your ego cherry picks to be irritated.” Seiji shook his head, turning back to his beer. “If you hadn’t started that brawl, then I wouldn’t have punched you when you were recovering from the concussion you got from being an _ass_ during the qualifier.”

Souta moved suddenly. Seiji raised his arm to block or parry the strike - and watched as his hand shot by, knocking over his half-empty beer glass.

Seiji leapt from his seat, narrowly avoiding having his trousers soaked. “Seriously?!”

“What are you going to do about it, gaijin?” Souta sneered.

“This high school shit is pathetic, even for you guys!” Shou stood up as well.

A tall, white-haired pilot stepped forward, accompanied by a shorter young man with black hair and grey eyes.

“It really is, Suguo.” The tall pilot said. “Why don’t we all sit down and have a drink together instead? As friends and rivals.”

Suguo looked like he was about to snap at the newcomer as well. But despite the white-haired pilot’s friendly smile, the look in his unique reddish-brown eyes and his body posture made it clear that further hostility wasn’t going to be tolerated.

“...Tch. Let’s go, Tanaka. They’re not worth it.”

The two pilots of Exceed left the lounge.

“Hm. Fun to watch him run with his tail between his legs. Thanks…” Seiji trailed off, looking at the two. They looked familiar.

“Ah!” The pilot with stark-white hair shook Seiji’s hand, his smile now truly friendly. “Akira Masato, from Reborn. And this is one of my teammates, Jian Tseng.”

Seiji blinked. He was shaking hands with the man acknowledged as the top pilot at ACE. “Oh! Uh, Seiji Maki and Shou Shinjirou. From Velocity.”

Akira nodded. “I know. Your team’s been all over ACE Update lately. I wasn’t kidding, you know? Let’s have a drink.”

The four pilots left the bar, finding a table to sit at.

Akira sighed as he took a sip. “Nothing better after a hard-fought win, wouldn’t you say?”

Seiji arched an eyebrow. “I watched your last match, Masato-senpai. I wouldn’t call that ‘hard-fought’.”

Akira shrugged. “Maybe not. But Reborn’s worked hard to get to this point. So has Velocity. So no matter how the actual games look, the effort is real - no matter how you look at it, our victories have needed hard work.”

Seiji blinked, looking at the captain of Reborn in a new light. He had always assumed that Akira, popular and constantly surrounded by fans, would be a pompous braggart. He seemed genuinely humble.

“...That’s fair.” Seiji said. “Congratulations on making the Final Four, by the way.”

“Congratulations to you, too.” Akira replied. “I understand your first opponent is going to be Exceed?”

Shou grimaced. “Yeah.”

Jian, silent to this point, looked at Shou curiously. “Why are you grimacing, Shinjirou-kun? They’re the weakest of the four teams to make the Final Four.”

Seiji looked at the Chinese exchange student with interest. “How do you figure, Tseng-kun?”

“Individually, they’re quite strong. Suguo and Tanaka are outstanding duelists, and Takeda is one of the best marksmen at ACE. Yamato is also quite good, even if Exceed doesn’t utilize him well.” Jian paused to sip his tea. “Their issue is that their team fight is average, at best. Suguo insists that the entire team focus on supporting him. It does make _him_ hard to focus fire, however.”

“...But it opens up the others.” Seiji murmured. “You said they don’t utilize Yamato well. What did you mean?”

“Yamato flies a little like you, Maki-kun.” Akira said. “I’d suggest watching him closely when you review Exceed’s footage. I don’t think Suguo quite understands how much his team relies on him, actually.” Akira glanced at the time on the bar’s main screen. “Ah. Pardon us, Maki-kun, Shinjiro-kun. Jian and I must get to a team briefing.”

Seiji nodded. “Sure. Thanks for the advice on Exceed, Masato-senpai.”

“No trouble at all.” Akira smiled. The overt friendliness of the expression faded, replaced instead by an eager, competitive glint. “You can repay me by making sure you make the finals.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The trouble with writing a big, ambitious project means so much exposition. I promise, if you're reading this for the hope of more shippy Protag/Yuuna stuff, it's coming.
> 
> It's challenging to write exciting mecha battles - stuff you see in Gundam and similar don't translate as well to written media.


	5. Final Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ACM (air combat maneuvering) is the technical term for what was once known as ‘dogfighting’. In modern day mobile suit piloting, several of the old terms still apply - high yo-yos, low yo-yos, and scissors are all ways in which propeller planes of antiquity tried to gain positional advantage in the air. Mobile suit pilots use these terms to this day, along with a few new ones. Notably, ‘hang time’ refers to how long a pilot’s mobile suit is able to remain in the air without a supplemental aerial platform/pack without wasting excessive power._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Low yo-yo - ACM move where the plane (mobile suit in this case) suddenly drops in altitude while moving forward, using the dive to pick up speed.
> 
> High yo-yo - Opposite, suddenly increasing elevation. Drops your speed, but allows you to make tighter turns/maybe get a pursuing unit to overshoot you
> 
> Fils de pute (French) - Son of a bitch
> 
> UAV - Unmanned aerial vehicle (drone)
> 
>  **Boldface** indicates speaking in English

July 9, 2049 (Friday Afternoon, Day One of the Final Four Tournament) 

“And Velocity abandons another skirmish, skipping ahead to the next lane! Exceed takes another point!” Yuuka shouted. “Who could have guessed that the dark horse of the Final Four tournament would fall behind by this margin?! It’s now 8-1 in favor of Exceed! Director Sanada, what’s your take on this? Why does Velocity look so disorganized?”

Sanada sat beside Yuuka in the commentator’s booth of the main viewing stadium, presiding over the holographic feed of the pitched battle. It wasn’t looking good for Velocity. The team scored the first beacon, but only because Exceed skipped to the second lane, choosing to set the blockade rather than race. Velocity’s attempt to run the blockade had been admirable, but they were facing down not only the powerful Sovereign, but also Kyouko Takeda’s MA-14 Hecate, Souta Tanaka’s MI-05 Duelist, and Hiroyuki Yamato’s MM-80 Peregrine. The three mobile suits skillfully provided cover for Suguo’s aggressive piloting, preventing Velocity from focus-firing one of the most powerful mobile suits at ACE Academy.

Again and again, Velocity was forced to skip to the next lane, barely able to survive each skirmish without losing a machine.

“It’s difficult to say, Aisaka-san. Though, you can’t say that this is outright domination by Exceed, either. If they go on to take this match, it will be their first win by points rather than eliminating the opposing team. And from the looks of it, Exceed is still actively trying to take down Velocity.” Sanada smiled thoughtfully. “It’s almost as if Velocity is steering them into a points-based strategy.”

“Hard to see the _point_ in that.” Yuuka grinned. She then cringed at Sanada’s glare. “Aheh. Sorry. But you have to admit, Director Sanada - it’s hard to see how Velocity’s going to turn this around, even if it is part of their game plan.”

The director of ACE watched as Exceed moved down the lane in formation, with Sovereign taking the lead. As they approached Velocity’s blockade, Hiroyuki Yamato’s Peregrine took to the skies in a high leap. There, like in all the previous skirmishes, he met Seiji’s Gladius head on. The crowd gasped as Gladius’ shield charge slammed into Peregrine’s chest with a loud crash. Hiro recovered admirably into a mid-air backflip, countering with a one-armed thrust with its energy lance. Gladius jetted towards the lance strike, diving under the blow to gain speed before rising again in a basic air combat maneuver known as the ‘low yo-yo’.

Seiji parlayed that speed into a series of dizzying turns, trying to gain a positional advantage on Hiro. Hiro was up to the challenge, responding with scissoring arcs and sudden loops, the two exchanging fire with their ranged weapons and lighting up the skies. Their combat was interrupted only by the brief pauses as they hit the ground at the end of their leaps.

Below the high speed aerial exchange, the remainder of the teams fought in pitched three on three combat. Aside from Seiji and Hiro, the battle was turning into vanilla Windshear. Mayu’s expert marksmanship had forced the normally hyper-aggressive Suguru into supporting his own team’s marksman, Kyouko Takeda. Deep Sky’s LN-90 Impulse and Hecate’s K-14 Buster carved up the forest as they tried to take each other down, while the others all fought in a pitched mid to close range battle, trying to prevent the other team from reaching their sniper. Asura fired wildly from its forearm machine guns as Duelist leapt overhead. The spray of gunfire raked over Souta’s mech and even clipped Peregrine, far above them.

_‘Disappointing, Belle. You’d think that with a week, you would have upgraded Asura’s weapons--’_

Sanada’s eyes widened. The normally cool and collected director nearly startled Yuuka out of her seat with an abrupt, delighted laugh.

“D-director!? Do you see something?!”

Sanada shook her head. “I certainly do. This match is over.”

Yuuka blinked as Velocity retreated again, skipping to the next lane and sacrificing yet another point. “Er… But the same thing happened again?”

“It won’t, this time.” Sanada smiled. “Hiroyuki Yamato’s Peregrine is the key. Or rather, _was_ the key.”

>>>

July 4, 2049 (Five Days Ago) 

“So, today is like a festival day for Americans?” Yuuna walked with Seiji to Velocity’s hangar from the parking lot, holding the spare helmet that had essentially become hers over the past two months of getting rides on the blonde pilot’s motorcycle.

“Yep. Fourth of July, Independence Day.” Seiji said. “It’s a big deal. Lots of fireworks, eating too much, drinking too much.”

“That sounds like fun! Do you dress up? Like we do with yukata?”

“Not really.” Seiji shrugged. “Not unless you count shorts, t-shirts, and hats patterned with enough stars and stripes to make your head spin.”

“Ah. That’s a shame.” Yuuna glanced at her phone - the rest of the team had just arrived at the hangar ahead of them. “It’s fun to put one on once in a while.”

Seiji glanced sidelong at Yuuna, recognizing that he was about to catch her off guard. His lips quirked in a little smile. “You have one? I’d love to see you wearing it, Misaki-san.”

Yuuna fumbled her phone, nearly dropping it on the tarmac. Even after two months of this, she hadn’t quite gotten used to how casually he’d drop those lines. She shook her head, pouting in ‘irritation’. “Honestly, you…”

The rest of Velocity waited at the hangar entrance. The team, on seeing Seiji (crooked grin) and Yuuna (faux-annoyed pout, but pleased blush), collectively rolled their eyes at the (not a) couple.

“So, what’s the deal, Seiji? Or did you call us here to annoy us with your flirting, or is this actually about our match against Exceed?” Kaori crossed her arms, leaning against the hangar’s massive door frame.

“We weren’t flirting--” Yuuna started.

“Both.” Seiji interrupted, earning a solid thump on his shoulder from Yuuna. He grinned, leading the team to the back office. “But seriously, I do have something. It has to do with what Akira Masato said about Exceed. Specifically, Hiroyuki Yamato.”

Seiji cued up footage of Exceed’s battles, with the camera focusing on Hiro’s mobile suit, Peregrine. The mobile suit was a Japanese reconnaissance model, armed with only an energy lance and 57mm high-energy beam rifle. The low overall weight of the weapons gave the suit exceptional speed and mobility - the name ‘Peregrine’ was well-deserved.

“He flies a bit like you, Bro.” Shou said, watching as Hiro took to the skies above Exceed’s lane blockade. “He wasn’t a starter when Kaori and I were on Exceed, but it looks like he’s really improved.”

“The next clip has audio from their team communications.” Seiji said. “This is what Masato wanted me to figure out, I think.”

Peregrine jetted through the air, dodging around beams of energy fired from the ground. “Suguo-san, they’re coming from the left flank--”

“I can see that!” Suguo snapped. “I’ll handle it!”

The opposing team was already in position to catch Suguo, Souta, and Kyouko in a crossfire.

Abruptly, Peregrine dove down, closing the distance in an instant. Hiro’s lance instantly powered down the attacking mobile suit before he was shot down himself.

“Tch. Useless, Yamato!” Suguru spat. “Exceed, let’s finish this!”

“ _Fils de pute…_ ” Valerie muttered, rolling her eyes. “Always _so_ pleasant. So this Hiro guy is pretty fast? Why’s that so important?”

“It isn’t the speed, Val. It’s what he said beforehand.” Seiji said. “After seeing this, I went back and watched all the previous footage. Suguo doesn’t use him well at all, but Hiroyuki Yamato is Exceed’s ‘eye in the sky’. He consistently catches enemy flanking maneuvers and strategies before the rest of Exceed sees it. Even if Suguo’s too much of an ass to acknowledge it, Yamato’s actually been key to a lot of their wins. The rest of them aren’t nearly as good at reading the battlefield. Suguo in particular is prone to tunnel vision, even if he’s one of the better one on one pilots out there.”

Mayu rubbed her chin thoughtfully before taking control of the projection. She keyed in the battleground for the Final Four tournament - an island thick with forest - and then added representations of Exceed and Velocity. “If we take our usual tactic and go for the first beacon, it shouldn’t be hard for me to line up a shot on Peregrine. I can even fire from cover.”

“That’s true.” Seiji said. “That would be the simplest way of taking advantage of this. Then we’d have a four on three, and they’d be missing their ‘eyes’. We’d still have to take down Sovereign, though - a Sovereign backed up by two sponsored suits, not just Hornets. Duelist and Hecate are solid machines, and their pilots are pretty damn good, too. If they go a man down, we have to believe they’ll play things more cautiously, even if Suguo’s cocky.”

Shou raised his eyebrow curiously. “Sounds like you’ve got another plan, Bro.”

“Maybe.” Seiji looked at Valerie. “How’s Artemis coming along? Can you, Shou, and Mayu get it running like you guys did in the simulator?”

“Shouldn’t be hard…” Valerie mused. “What do you have planned, Seiji?”

The American grinned. “We’re going to steer the skirmish-oriented Exceed into running beacons. We’re going to let them think they’re winning long enough to let us trap _all_ of them.”

>>>

July 9, 2049 (Present Day) 

Hiroyuki grimaced as Gladius slammed into Peregrine with yet another shield charge, sending him careening towards the ground. It wasn’t a particularly damaging move, but the impact was certainly disorienting and it forced Hiro to be sharp for the follow-up attack. Compared to his first sortie against Sovereign, Seiji’s mobile suit had been upgraded and improved by Dasshu and Valerie, to the point where even without the mysterious overdrive function, the custom-built American machine was a match for almost any Japanese mobile suit out there.

“Damn it!” Hiro cursed. He fired his jets to avoid falling right into the crossfire between Asura and Sovereign, still getting raked by Asura’s guns. His eyes widened as Gladius abruptly filled his HUD; Seiji’s beam short sword stabbed in towards Peregrine’s cockpit, forcing him to evade.

Gladius didn’t press the advantage as Velocity abruptly retreated again to the next lane.

Hiroyuki landed beside his teammates. “What’s everyone’s status?” Normally, the Japanese pilot didn’t need to ask. But through the entire match so far, Gladius had been right in his face.

“Minimal damage for all of us. Yamato, you were hit? How bad?” Kyouko said.

He glanced at his HUD. “Minimal damage as well. ...Actually, almost none. The hell…?” It didn’t make sense. Peregrine was a lightly armored reconnaissance model - while Asura’s forearm guns were hopelessly weak against heavily-armed mechs like Sovereign, they should have hit Yamato much harder. “There’s something weird going on--”

“Tch, no shit, Sherlock. They keep coughing up points and you all can’t take down four weak-ass suits. I’m getting bored of this. We’re finishing them on this one! Pick up the pace! Don’t let them get set up!” Suguo barked. “And Yamato, can you stop fucking around and take that gaijin out?! I don’t care how much Dasshu worked on his suit. It’s still American-made trash”

Hiro shook his head. “Captain, I don’t like this. They have to have some kind of strategy.”

Suguo sneered. “It won’t matter, Yamato. We’re taking them down. Move it, that’s an order!”

Hiroyuki bit his tongue. “...Yes, Captain.”

The four members of Exceed flew forward in several jumps, staying in formation. The hadn’t yet reached the next beacon; none of them scissored or performed evasive maneuvers. The range was too long even for Deep Sky’s Impulse rifle.

Hiroyuki touched the beacon. In the corner of his HUD, he watched the zoomed-in image of Deep Sky raise its Impulse rifle.

 _‘Still out of range…’_ He thought. But he couldn’t shake the feeling of foreboding. Asura’s chance raking of Peregrine stuck out in his mind. It was as if the green and silver mobile suit had fired dummy rounds, or…

Hiroyuki’s eyes lit on Sovereign’s back, far below him. His NAI sensed his intent, zooming in on Suguo’s suit - all across its right shoulder were small gunmetal protrusions, like metallic limpets. _‘The hell is that…?’_ “Captain, I--”

Suguo interrupted, opening up the general channel open to Exceed, Velocity, and the spectators. “Come on, America! Is this all you got?! Are you going to run again?!”

Seiji’s grinning face appeared in the corner of Hiroyuki’s HUD.

“Not this time, Suguo! Let them have it, Mayu!”

Still out of range, Deep Sky fired several shots into the air, far above Exceed.

Suguo blinked, tensing to move - but he then laughed, shaking his head. “Almost got me to blink, America. Looks like you need to teach Akemi how to _aim_ \--”

“Evade!” Hiroyuki yelled as he recognized the danger. “Evade, _now!_ ”

Deep Sky’s aim had been off for a sniper shot - but it was perfect for an artillery shell.

>>>

The crowd watched in a moment of shocked silence as the four shells from Deep Sky burst in the sky, above even the apex of Peregrine’s jump. It was similar to fireworks, with each shell exploding into a glowing red starburst.

But these arrows of red light didn’t fade - instead, they streaked down at Exceed like a deadly rain. Peregrine turned to flee, the suit’s impressive speed carrying it out of the trajectory of the projectiles - but the guidance system was named ‘Artemis’ for a reason. Dozens of points of light locked onto the beacons that had been magnetically attached onto Peregrine, following Hiroyuki’s brilliant evasive maneuvers to a tee. Hiroyuki was relentlessly tracked down.

Peregrine was shot down in an instant, joined quickly by Hecate and Duelist.

“D… ...Down! Three members of Exceed, down in an instant! Captain Suguo remains in a badly damaged Sovereign, now at ten percent power! In an incredible turn of events, Velocity now has victory within their grasp!”

The audiences in all of ACE’s viewing stadiums roared, cheering wildly at the dramatic turnaround.

Yuuka quickly brought up a replay, displaying it to the crowd on a smaller, inset holographic screen. “It looks as though Deep Sky used a high-precision guided weapon, far beyond any heat or EM signature tracking system out there! That shouldn’t be possible, given the weight and power requirement of these systems! Director, what _is_ this?!”

“Asura. Shou Shinjirou’s Asura.” Sanada said, unable to hide her amusement. “Asura wasn’t screening for Deep Sky… Deep Sky and Aura were screening for Asura, while Gladius kept Peregrine from seeing what was happening below them. They didn’t fit a precision-guided weapon onto one mech, Aisaka.”

Sanada took control of the replay, showing Asura firing small limpet trackers onto each Exceed suit over the course of the match.

“They fit one system onto _two_. Asura painstakingly painted each member of Exceed so they could all be hit in one fell swoop.”

Sovereign staggered forward. Suguo’s enraged face filled the general communication chat. “You son of a _bitch!_ You cheated!”

“No written rule against it, Suguo!” Seiji said, throwing Suguo’s words from the qualifiers back in his face. Gladius shot forwards to challenge Sovereign. “Time to finish this!”

Suguo bellowed in rage. He swung his massive anti-ship sword down at Gladius in a huge arc. Unlike in the qualifiers, Gladius was now able to stand up to Sovereign. The smaller American suit parried it with its shield; dirt and timber exploded into the air as the sword hammered the ground.

Gladius’ short sword stabbed into Sovereign’s cockpit, just as Aura’s own anti-ship sword slashed across the state-of-the-art suit’s ‘throat’. Had this been a real battle, Suguo would have been incinerated by the beam sword while his machine was decapitated.

“And it’s over! It’s over! In a massive upset victory, Velocity has taken down Exceed and earned the right to face Reborn in tomorrow’s finals! What a strategy! What a match! What will the dark horse of ACE Academy’s Windshear teams show us tomorrow in the finals!?”

>>>

“Cheers!”

“Hell, _yeah!_ ”

Velocity gathered in their hangar after their win, sharing a well-earned drink. Seiji grinned at Yuki, raising his bottle of Asahi.

“Sure this isn’t against the regs, Aunt Yuki?”

Yuki waved her hand dismissively, laughing. “I don’t think anyone’s going to raise a stink about that right now. Not even Saito. Last I saw, he was on the phone complaining to AJI officials about the tactics that you guys used.” She grinned. “Rather, he was on the phone getting hung up on by AJI officials.”

“Hah. Nice.” Shou chuckled. “I can’t believe that worked. Nice shooting, Mayu!”

Mayu blushed faintly. “It was a guided system, Shou-kun. I didn’t really have to aim.”

“Er, I know.” Shou rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, I wouldn’t have been able to get those tracers on if you hadn’t done such a great job screening for me. They didn’t figure out what was happening until it was too late.”

Kaori coughed. She raised her eyebrow at Shou.

Shou blinked. “Oh! Uh, you did a great job too, Kaori.”

Velocity’s captain shook her head. “Not why I’m coughing, Shou. We need to talk about tomorrow. We’re up against Reborn, remember? Yuuna, you mentioned you had some information?”

Yuuna put down her drink and picked up her tablet. “They’ve already released their roster for tomorrow. They’re actually resting Akira Masato. Instead, Jian Tseng’s going to lead the team.”

Seiji frowned. “I can’t help but feel a little insulted…”

“Don’t be.” Kaori said. “Reborn runs like a machine. It’s their team’s policy to rotate their starters for intramural games, Masato included. They don’t start playing with all of their aces until they get to national competition… It’s a testament to their training and talent that they still perform the way they do without their best lineup.”

“They say it’s to make sure that even when members graduate, they can seamlessly transition to the next generation.” Mayu added. “And it also ensures that in national competition, even their reserves are well-versed in team strategy in the event they need to sub someone in.”

Yuuna tapped her tablet, bringing up Reborn’s highlights.

“Their strategy seems to be pretty by-the-book. One long-range unit with three interceptors or multirole, and they favor skipping the first beacon immediately to set up a blockade.” Yuna brought up footage of a skirmish. “What makes them dangerous is their execution, though. None of them make mistakes, and their teamwork is incredible. They’re amazing at creating odd-man situations in a four-on-four smirkish via positioning and crossfires.”

Mayu nodded. “Unlike Exceed, there aren’t any obvious holes to exploit… And after what we did to Exceed, I don’t doubt they’ll be paying close attention to Shou-kun.”

“Looks like all we can do is bring our best, huh?” Shou grinned. “Good thing we’ve made this season on running blockades. Feel like flying, Seiji?”

Seiji grinned. “Always.”

Kaori nodded. “Let’s all head home, then. Get some sleep. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, we’ll not only be talking about our study strategy for exams, but our strategy for Summer Nationals.”

Shou groaned. “Exams?! Man, Kaori… You really need to work on your pep talks…”

>>>

July 10, 2049 (Saturday) 

“Welcome back everyone, to the second and final day of ACE Academy’s Final Four tournament! In the first year of their existence, we have Velocity making a surprising appearance against Reborn!” Yuuka said. “As you all know, Reborn scored a decisive victory over Onna Bugeisha with the overwhelming team play that we’ve come to expect from the perennial contenders, while Velocity utilized rather unconventional tactics to take down Exceed! Matsui-sensei, what do you think we can expect to see today?”

“Well, Reborn certainly…” Matsui began.

Seiji didn’t really listen, instead focusing on the buzz of the audience, audible even over the PTC instructor’s commentary. He switched over to Velocity’s private channel.

“Capacity crowd, guys.”

“Heh. Yeah… Both Masato and Tseng have a lot of fans.” Shou said. He grinned, winking from behind the clear plastic of his helmet. “But then again, so do we!”

“Focus, guys.” Kaori said. “Reborn’s incoming.”

Seiji’s HUD zoomed in on the formation of four mobile suits. Jian Tseng led them in, flying his distinctive J-60 Ghost. The grey and black mobile suit eschewed the typical nomenclature of PARDA units, having been manufactured in the Pan-Asia Combine. Not much was known about the exact specifications of his suit - while the PAC was happy to have Jian train at ACE as an exchange student, they supplied their own engineers to maintain and modify his mobile suit to ensure that PARDA didn’t reverse-engineer any of their proprietary technology. As far as Seiji could tell from the video, Ghost seemed to fit the role of an ‘MM’ (multirole) type mobile suit, using both his beam saber, shield, and assault-type rail rifle equally well.

The blonde frowned as he looked at the remainder of Jian’s team as they lined up at the first beacon of the rocky, mountainous battlefield. “...Guys, have any of you seen Reborn fly with that kind of lineup before?”

The rest of the team were in MI-20 Tempests - the sleek, lightly armored mobile suits were similar to Hiroyuki’s Peregrine, but emphasized agility and acceleration over top end speed. While Peregrines were built with reconnaissance in mind, Tempests were meant for intercepting missile and UAV strikes.

“...No. They aren’t running with an MA suit.” Mayu said, noticing the lack of sniper or artillery type suit. “They’re trying something new.”

“And those Tempests are _really_ lightly armed.” Kaori frowned. “Each of them just has a C-130 Lancer, the same rifle that Gladius carries.”

Valerie, listening in from Velocity’s support staff box at the main stadium, chimed in. “And the Lancer’s pretty light, too. Even if they haven’t upgraded the engines of those MI-20s, I’d guess that they’re even faster than Gladius.”

“What the hell are they planning…” Seiji mused.

Kaori shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. No matter how fast they are, we have Mayu. Let’s assume they’re going to go for the beacon. Get ready to skip to the next lane.”

A digital countdown appeared on the HUD of each of Velocity’s pilots. Although Seiji had turned off the general channel, he could still imagine the audience counting down.

_‘3… 2… 1!’_

The horn sounded. In unison, Reborn shot into the air, each suit performing a low yo-yo maneuver to rapidly gain speed. Velocity immediately cut the corner, heading for the second lane to establish the blockade.

“Are they going to run it, you think?” Shou asked, getting into position to screen for Mayu.

“It’s hard to say.” Kaori frowned, watching as the four suits touched the first beacon. “This would be the first time I’ve ever heard of Reborn going for points. Mayu, take the shot when you have it!”

“Roger.” Deep Sky took aim; the Impulse rail cannon whined as it powered up. The first shot went wide as the Tempest dodged. Mayu smiled; she already had her second shot lined up in anticipation of the evasive move. Her eyes widened as another Tempest entered the view of her scope.

A burst of C-130 fire forced her to dodge back. The high-speed mobile suits were already within range to use their assault weapons. “I lost my target! Seiji-kun, Shou-kun!” Mayu aimed up in anticipation.

Seiji and Shou launched into the air to intercept, preventing Reborn from blowing past them. Gladius, Asura, and Deep Sky opened fire - at the height and speed they were moving, Kaori’s Aura could do little but watch.

“Shit, they’re fast!” Shou grimaced as Lancer fire struck his back. “I’m hit, but I’m fine! They’re not hitting that hard!”

“It’s like trying to shoot a swarm of gnats with a pistol!” Seiji swore, making Gladius jink and contort in the air as he was pursued by Ghost and one of the Tempests. Contrails decorated the sky as the three suits gained more and more altitude. Seiji glanced at his altimeter - he’d be forced to touch down to start another jump. Gladius wasn’t built for sustained flight - no mobile suit was, really. But these Tempests and Tseng’s Ghost certainly had more ‘hang time’ than anyone on Velocity, owing to their minimal armor and weaponry.

Gladius touched down alongside Asura. Seiji glanced at his radar. “We need to get back up there, Shou! They’ll make a break for -- shit!”

Assault rifle fire raked across Velocity as Reborn began coordinated strafing runs from high altitude.

“We’re pinned down!” Shou yelled. “Mayu, do you have a shot?”

“Negative, Shou-kun!” Deep Sky was having to aim almost directly above its head. “I can acquire, but I can’t lock! Not when they’re right above us like this!”

Kaori grit her teeth. “...Next lane! Give them this beacon! Set up a blockade again. We know how fast they are now - we can take them down! Aim for when they touch down!”

>>>

Stunned silence reigned in the stadium for the second consecutive day as the game unfolded with yet another unconventional strategy. While Velocity’s gambit against Exceed had been a dramatic turnaround in the second half of the match, Reborn’s strategy was outright domination from the outset. The score was now 5-0; at each blockade, Reborn utilized their purpose-modified suits to maintain air superiority, keeping Velocity pinned down with strafing runs. The only suitable anti-air weapon that Velocity had - Shou’s Seeker missiles - were shot down by the top-notch individual skills of the Reborn pilots. At each attempted blockade, Velocity was eventually forced to retreat to the next lane. Not because they were in danger of being shot down by Reborn’s weaker weapons, but because they were behind on points and had nothing to gain from the stalemate.

“M...Matsui-sensei, what are we seeing, here…?”

The stern PTC teacher smiled grimly. “We’re seeing the limitation of two things, Aisaka. First, the mobile suit form factor.”

“Form factor?”

“They’re all shaped like people, aren’t they? Ever try to shoot a rifle at something directly over your head before? It’s not impossible, but if it’s a moving target, you’re having to constantly sidestep and pivot to track your target. Hard enough to do when you’re outside a suit and using your own senses. They’re having to do it inside a mobile suit, while sensing the outside environment through the NAI. It has to be incredibly disorienting… Almost like being in zero-G for the first time.”

Yuuka frowned, watching as Velocity tried in vain to engage in the air again - Shou was nearly de-powered, pushed back into cover. 

“Is it really that simple? Then why hasn’t anyone else tried this?”

“Because it’s incredibly hard to do.” Matsui pointed at the trajectory of one of Reborn’s pilots. “Even though Reborn’s running four lightweight, fast mechs, they still can’t fly indefinitely - mobile suits jump, they don’t fly. But look how they’re covering each other’s landings.”

One of Reborn’s pilots arced down to contact the ground, far from where Velocity was pinned down. Aura and Gladius moved immediately to strike; focused fire from Ghost and the one of the other Tempests pushed them back; the remaining Tempest dive-bombed Deep Sky, preventing an opportunistic sniper shot.

“It’s truly impressive.” Matsui said. “Reborn’s taken mobile suits that at a glance seem suitable for old-school run-and-gun blockade tactics, and instead are using their agility, hang time, and teamwork to pin down a very good team. This isn’t air supremacy. This is air _suppression_. Reborn’s found a way to control the match to the point where they don’t even have to risk going in to shoot down the opposing team…”

“Unbelievable…” Yuuka mumbled, watching as Velocity gave up yet another point. For someone who didn’t understand the precision piloting and teamwork that Reborn had to do to pull this strategy off, the match actually looked _dull_. It was simply Reborn using basic ACM moves in perfect coordination to suppress the normally exciting, run and gun Velocity team.

“And before you ask, they can’t use Shinjirou and Akemi’s trick with the Artemis system. That only worked against Exceed because they wanted to close the distance with Velocity, and Maki effectively kept them blind by distracting Yamato… Reborn’s playing keep-away, and they can see everything that’s happening below them. They’re never in range of Asura’s half of Artemis.” Matsui shook his head. “We might as well not play the second half of this game, Aisaka. This match is already over.”

>>>

In stark contrast to the day before, Velocity sat around the conference table in the hangar’s office after the match, completely subdued. They had been shut out, losing by a score of 9-0. Each of the team members stared blankly at the replay of their game against Reborn.

“It’s literally the definition of insanity…” Kaori mumbled. She slammed her fist on the table angrily. “We just tried the same thing over and over again, and expected a different result!”

“It’s not like you did that out of stupidity, Kaori.” Valerie said. She rubbed her face, watching the replay. “I’m not a pilot, but it’s almost like…”

“It’s like Reborn gave us no other option.” Yuuna finished. “They had at least three suits at high altitude at all times, and they weren’t shooting to kill. Just to suppress and harry, to force us to skip lanes.”

“Why didn’t they try to finish you guys off?” Valerie asked.

Kaori shook her head. “That would have meant getting closer to us. It would have given us a fighting chance to actually win. What they did was almost completely risk-free.”

“Maybe one of you pilots can explain to me why they kept repeating it? It seemed like they were just ringing up the score needlessly.” Yuki said, her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall. “Tseng-kun and Masato-kun are both my students. It’s not like them to try to embarrass someone.”

“I think it’s because they’re still practicing.” Seiji said. “There were moments where their coverage wasn’t perfect. Those were the times where we almost took one of them down, remember? And I think they’re preparing for the future. The AJI’s been talking about adding a ‘forward motion’ rule, where a team can’t just sit behind a beacon indefinitely. No one likes matches where the team ahead on points just sits well-back of the beacon and dodges sniper fire from the team that skipped ahead. They’re not counting on being able to sit on a lead anymore. ...Heh…”

Seiji’s expression started to change. The competitive American had taken the loss harder than the rest of them, throwing his helmet across the hangar and taking a few minutes to cool off outside before returning to the meeting. The frustrated grimace on his face contorted.

Yuuna turned to Seiji curiously. “Maki-san…?”

Seiji started _laughing_. Softly, at first. And then louder, to the point where he was holding his stomach. The team looked at the American like he had lost his mind.

“Bro…?” Shou said, uncertainly. “Are you alright?”

“I was too pissed off to see it before. But now, I’m just impressed.” Seiji said, still chuckling in disbelief. “We all see Windshear as combat, right? With the same combined arms approach that you’d use on an actual battlefield?”

Kaori nodded. “Obviously.”

Seiji waved a hand at the projector. “This isn’t that. This is completely crazy. If you tried this in real combat, you’d be shot down by anti-air guns and missiles from your flanks, mobile suit/plane hybrids, or even a mobile suit on an ACM hover platform. That’s why this is so funny. Reborn thought outside of the box. They’re looking at Windshear as a _game_. A contrived game that gets changed periodically to up the entertainment value. So they came up with an equally contrived strategy that spits in the face of this being combat training.”

Shou sighed. “I don’t find it really funny, Bro. That wasn’t fun to play against… We were barely even a threat to them.”

“Not much else we can do other than laugh at this point, Shou. But don’t get me wrong.” Seiji cracked his knuckles. “I’m not okay with this. I want to beat them, too. That’s the first match all year where I haven’t really gotten to _fly_. Hell. Even if the tables were turned, I wouldn’t want to win the way they did - their aerial maneuvers aren’t all that complicated. Low yo-yos, high yo-yos, scissors… All the basics. Just performed incredibly well, and in perfect support of each other. A ‘swarm of gnats’ is right. Stinging, coordinated gnats. They found a way to control the match and win without taking any risks… But where’s the fun in that? We’ll come up with something to beat this. Something a bit more exciting.”

“That’s the spirit!” Yuki pushed off the wall, smiling warmly at the team. “This was a tough way to end the spring season, but I don’t want any of you thinking that this wasn’t a success. You’re a newly-formed team that made the Final Four! You beat Exceed! And now you’ll have the summer to come up with an anti-Reborn strategy. The fact that they tried out their new tactics on you, a completely new team, should only be taken as a compliment.”

Seiji stood up, grabbing his phone. “Thanks, Aunt Yuki. I can’t wait to get started on thinking of what to do against them. I’ll just download the replay footage so I can start studying it--...”

Seiji trailed off. Yuuna stood up as well. She was now standing in front of him, staring at him intently.

“...Misaki-san?”

She poked his chest. “You’re right about studying. Exams are in two and a half weeks. AJI pilots can’t be on academic probation. _All_ of you need to study!”

Yuuna was staring up at him with her best ‘stern manager’ face. Needless to say, the effect was unintentionally adorable.

But it did have the desired effect. Seiji couldn’t say no.

“...Right. Exam studying it is.”

Once again, Velocity collectively rolled their eyes at the pair of ‘just friends’.

>>>

July 17, 2049 (Saturday)

Seiji was in a mood. Partly because he was awake early on a weekend (a travesty), and partly because he was awake early on a weekend to study (double travesty). He grimaced, rubbing his face as he tried to make sense of the classical Japanese literature in front of him. It was common in PARDA schools to require their students to take one or two courses like this in order to round out their education.

The trouble was that Seiji barely had a handle on the American classics he studied at CINY. While he spoke Japanese fluently, he was out of his cultural depth with Japanese literature. Cursing quietly, he reached over for his coffee mug. He raised it to his lips, only then realizing it was empty. With a sigh, he spun his chair towards the door.

Nikki smiled sympathetically in the doorway, holding a fresh mug of coffee. “Having trouble, Nii-chan?”

“A little less, now. Thanks, Nikki.” Seiji accepted the fresh mug gratefully. “Don’t you have to study this stuff, too?”

“Yep. It’s not so bad, though.” Nikki shrugged.

“Right. You used to read Mom’s old books…” Seiji sighed. “Unfair.”

Nikki rolled her eyes. “Nothing unfair about it, Nii-chan. You could have read them too, but you were too busy working on Gladius and chasing girls. And it’s not just because of Mom’s old books. Akane and Megumi help me study, too.”

Seiji perked up. “Now, there’s an idea…” He opened up another window over his desk, bringing up his messaging app.

**SM: Hey, are you studying today?**

**YM: Yep!**

**SM: Want to get together? I could really use the help on Japanese Lit. Aren’t you taking conversational English? We could help each other.**

**YM: Sounds good. ...So long as you’re actually planning to** **_study_ ** **, and this isn’t some thinly veiled pretense.**

A chibi caricature of Yuuna appeared in the chat window, with her arms crossed and a suspicious frown on her face. Despite the stern expression, it was rather cute.

Nikki snorted. “She really knows you, doesn’t she?”

Seiji chuckled. “Evidently.”

**SM: There will be an attempt at studying. I promise. Library?**

**YM: How about the cafe, instead? I’m finishing up the morning shift in an hour anyway.**

**SM: See you there!**

>>>

It turned out the help of a ‘friend’ was more than enough. Seiji switched off his tablet, feeling considerably more optimistic about his chances on the exams.

“Thanks, Misaki-san. That makes a lot more sense, now.”

Yuuna smiled at him from across the little table they shared at _The Right Stuff_. “Good! I have to admit, I was a little surprised when you asked for help on this, Maki-san. You speak almost without an accent, and I haven’t noticed any glaring errors in the written projects we’ve worked on together.”

“It’s to do with my upbringing. Mom made sure Nikki and I were fluent and literate.” Seiji said. “But even though I can read, write, and speak Japanese, I think there’s certain things you don’t really pick up on unless you’re immersed in the culture. Certain metaphors, themes, colloquialisms…”

“That’s fair…” Yuuna frowned thoughtfully. “I find English difficult for the same reason, sometimes.”

Seiji smiled, switching to his other native tongue. **“Speaking of which, shouldn’t we get started? You mentioned that your oral exam is basically going to be a conversation, right?”**

Yuuna blinked, a little surprised - she hadn’t heard Seiji speak anything other than Japanese before, after all. She then giggled lightly, nodding. She spoke in accented, English. **“That’s right, Mr. Maki.”**

Seiji raised an eyebrow. **“That’s a little formal, between friends… ‘Mister’ isn’t quite the same as ‘-san’.”**

**“Oh? Then, how should I call you?”**

Seiji was unable to keep the sassy grin off his face. **“Just by my first name,** **_Yuuna_ ** **.”**

Yuuna’s eyes widened. She glared across the table at Seiji, now well-acquainted with his teasing grin. Despite the slight heat she felt on her face, she was up to the challenge today. **“Then that’s what I’ll call you,** **_Seiji_ ** **.”**

Seiji and Yuuna stared at each other for a moment before sharing a little laugh. They continued practicing, essentially making small talk in English as they worked through the list of possible topics for Yuuna’s exam. Although Seiji did enjoy teasing and flirting with her, he was a patient teacher, never making fun of her for the errors she made. Over the course of the hour, she felt more confident in her English, speaking with less hesitation.

She turned off her tablet at the end of the session and smiled at Seiji.

**“Thank you, Seiji. I’m much better at oral now, thanks to you.”**

To Yuuna’s surprise, Seiji choked on his coffee, nearly performing a spit take.

“!! Maki-san?” Yuuna switched back to Japanese. “Did I say something odd?”

“Oh… Oh _my_.” Seiji coughed, grinning. “I’m not sure I should say anything…”

Yuuna frowned. “No, please. The last thing I want to do is say something like that to my professor--”

Seiji snorted, his grin widening. “No. I shouldn’t think so. Are you sure you want to know?”

Yuuna nodded earnestly. “Yes!”

Seiji spoke in a measured, calm voice. His face was unusually serious, although his hazel eyes seemed to sparkle in amusement. “Well, Misaki-san… You’re aware the word ‘ **oral** ’ also has to do with the mouth?”

Yuuna nodded again.

“In English, the way you used the word **oral** in your sentence can be taken as slang for pleasuring someone with your--”

Yuuna instantly turned bright red. “I… I understand!” She said, quickly interrupting him. “I… I didn’t mean…!”

Seiji leaned over the table, whispering conspiratorially. His attempt at a serious face was gone, replaced now with a crooked grin. “Though, if you play your cards right, that phrase _might_ come in handy--Ouch!”

Yuuna smacked Seiji’s arm. “ _Maki-san_ ! You’re a pervert! And a bully! You’re the _worst!_ ”

Seiji laughed, sitting back. He raised his hands. “Sorry, sorry!”

Yuuna pouted, crossing her arms. She turned her head away from Seiji, her eyes closed, nose in the air.

“...Really sorry?”

“Hmph!”

“... _Ice cream_ level sorry?” Seiji chuckled.

Yuuna opened an eye. “Two scoops. At least.”

“Deal.” Seiji chuckled as he slid his tablet into his bag. “Let’s go to that stand in the park.”

>>>

Seiji and Yuuna sat on a bench together, each with an ice cream cone. Yuuna glanced sidelong at Seiji, seemingly forgetting about the two scoops of cookies and cream waiting for her. Seiji raised an eyebrow as he licked his pistachio ice cream.

“Something wrong, Misaki-san? You’ve been looking at me funny since we sat down.” Seiji said. He grinned, waving his cone. “Did you want to share?”

To Seiji’s surprise, the suggestion of an indirect kiss didn’t fluster her. Instead, she shook her head, biting her lip briefly.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to stare, Maki-san. It’s just… your ice cream. It’s not a very popular flavor, here. In fact, I’ve known only one other person who liked it.” Yuuna murmured, refocusing on the ground in front of the bench.

“...Your brother, right?” Seiji said, gently.

Yuuna’s eyes widened. She looked up at Seiji. “How did you…”

Seiji took hold of Yuuna’s free hand, squeezing reassuringly. “I wasn’t snooping on purpose, Misaki-san. And I’ve been intentionally ignoring the gossip. But after you mentioned someone else pulling off the _hineri-komi_ last year, Hiroyuki Yamato mentioned it as well, right around the time we had that brawl with Exceed. I got curious. I wanted to know if there was another ace pilot I had to worry about.”

Yuuna sighed softly. “So… You know about Yuudai, then…?”

“Yuudai Misaki…” Seiji nodded. “Captain of Reborn, the last guy to pull the hineri-komi, and ACE Academy’s best hope at taking a national title. Until the first round of the Fall Nationals…”

Yuuna took her hand away from Seiji’s to rub her eyes. “...Where he died suddenly, in the middle of the match. My family found out afterwards that he’d been hiding a heart condition from everyone for months. From us, his team, the school… He was worried that he’d be taken out of competition.”

Seiji nodded. The physical requirements to be a mobile suit pilot were incredibly stringent. “I can see where he was coming from. It’s not uncommon for pilots to hide injuries and illness to stay on the starting lineup for Windshear.”

“Exactly!” Yuuna said sharply. “I… I was actually on the piloting track before my brother died. I switched because I think the best way I can honor his memory is by working to make sure this sort of thing never happens again.”

“I’m sure he would be proud of you. We can all see how you’re doing everything you can to look out for us.” Seiji said. “And, Aunt Yuki thinks you’d make a great doctor.”

“I hope so.” Yuuna murmured. She gave Seiji a small, bittersweet smile. “...He would have liked you, you know?”

“Really?”

“Mm. You would have been good friends. Cocky, borderline arrogant flyboys who think they’re God’s gift to women…”

Seiji raised an eyebrow, starting to protest. He then glanced down in surprise as Yuuna put her hand back in his, twining their fingers together.

“...But with a deep love for the sky.” Yuuna added. “And with good, kind hearts.”

“Thanks. Coming from you, that means a lot, Yuuna.”

“...You haven’t called me that before.” She spoke softly; almost too quietly to hear. It made Seiji turn to face her, shift a little closer to her. The gentle squeeze from her hand told him that she didn’t mind at all.

“Is it okay…?” The way he leaned in towards her suggested what he was really asking about.

“Mm. It is.” Yuuna murmured. The way she tilted her chin up towards him, her eyes drifting closed, suggested that she understood the unspoken question perfectly well.

“Kiss! Mama, look! They’re gonna kiss!”

Yuuna and Seiji both startled. A few feet away, a woman was bowing frantically in apology to the two of them while she hustled her elementary-aged son away. The two Velocity team members looked at each other, the spell broken and replaced instead by awkward smiles. Thankfully, neither of them had to decide what the next appropriate move was.

_-Plop-_

Seiji looked at Yuuna’s empty ice cream cone. Yuuna looked down at the two scoops of cookies and cream now decorating the flagstone pathway. Her eyes widened; she gasped.

“No! My ice cream!” She pouted, looking forlornly down at the melting treat.

Seiji bit back a little laugh. Yuuna’s eyes flashed; she glared at Seiji.

“It’s _not_ funny.”

“That’s not why I’m laughing.” Seiji grinned. “I was just thinking about how you looked so unintentionally cute that I was going to offer to share my cone with you.” He leaned in again, almost whispering. He spoke her name like a caress. “ _Yuuna.._.”

Yuuna startled; her empty cone followed the ice cream down to the ground.

Seiji laughed a little louder. He stood up, offering his ice cream cone.

Yuuna pouted, her cheeks burning. But, she relented, taking his ice cream cone… And then taking his hand. The two of them left the park hand in hand, chatting and laughing.

>>>

July 24, 2049 (Saturday) 

“So _that’s_ why you’re ‘Yuuna’ to him now? And you’re _still_ not officially dating?!” Valerie asked. She squeezed her bubble milk tea in irritation, grateful that the top of the drink was nicely sealed. She sat cross-legged on her desk chair, an incredulous look on her face as she regarded the magenta-haired beauty hanging out in her dorm room.

Yuuna fiddled with her straw, sitting on Valerie’s bed. “It’s not like anything big happened.”

“That’s the second almost-kiss in several weeks of ‘will they/won’t they’ flirting.” Valerie said, flatly. “And it even came after a big reveal of tragic backstory, coupled with unconditional support and acceptance. What do you want? A big banner that says ‘Hurry Up and Bang Already’?”

“It’s… It’s just not that simple.” Yuuna chewed on her lower lip. “I… I like what we have already. What if moving on to something else ruins that? And… and he doesn’t know _everything_ yet.”

Valerie’s expression softened. “...Hey. I know what it’s like to have baggage. But this is Seiji we’re talking about. Do you really think he’s the kind of guy who’s so shallow that he’d lose interest in you so easily? You wouldn’t fall for a jerk like that--...Yuu-chan…?”

She trailed off at the sudden change in Yuuna’s expression. Suddenly, her friend seemed older; more downcast. Tired.

“...I was in a bad place after Yuudai died. I felt like I was all alone, and I just wanted to talk to someone who understood a little.” Yuuna mumbled. “I ended up dating one of his teammates for a short time. He was nice at first, but he became controlling… pushy. His ego got out of control, to the point where he left Reborn and effectively pulled a hostile takeover of another Windshear team.”

Valerie choked on a tapioca pearl. “W-wait. You… You don’t mean _Suguo_ , do you?!”

“When I decided I had enough and broke it off, he started spreading rumors about me to everyone who would listen. He said he’d set things straight if I went back to him. So, no. My track record in choosing guys isn’t that great.” Yuuna said bitterly. “I know that Maki-san’s completely different. He wouldn’t just turn on someone like that. But it’s a lot, you know? His parents recently passed away, he’s just moved to a foreign country, and he’s trying to look after his sister… What if I tell him everything, and he just decides it’s too much?”

Valerie was silent for a long moment. She sighed, standing up and sitting down beside Yuuna, putting an arm over her shoulders and squeezing gently. “I don’t think that would happen, Yuu-chan. But if it does, I’ll be here for you. So will Mayu and Kaori.”

“Thanks, Valerie-chan.” Yuuna sighed, smiling. “At least we have the summer to work this out. We can take it slow.”

“Yep! Just a relaxing day at the beach to start--”

Both Valerie and Yuuna’s phones chimed.

**SM: Hey, guys! Big news. I was telling my uncle about our plans to go to the beach for the day… It turns out his company just finished construction on a seaside resort. It’s not open yet, but it’s ready to take guests... It’s a bit further away, but we’d able to stay for a few days. And for free.**

Seiji posted a link to the resort’s website; it automatically opened another projected screen, showing Yuuna and Valerie a beautiful, modern, and undeniably romantic seaside villa.

**SS: BRO! Seriously!?**

**KI: That sounds pretty good…**

**MA: I’ll ask my father if I can go**

Yuuna’s mouth opened and closed, trying in vain to find the appropriate words. The relaxing day at the beach had suddenly turned into a few days (and nights) in close quarters with the blonde American that occupied her thoughts (and occasional dreams). She turned to Valerie.

Valerie grinned, shrugging. “So much for taking it slow. We should go shopping.”

“...For what?” Yuuna asked, warily.

“What else? Cute swimsuits. And in your case, sexy underwear, too.”

“ _Valerie!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've played the game, you've noticed a few lines I've used from Yuuna's route, and certainly a big divergence from how the story went in the game. Rest assured, soon. Soooon...
> 
> As for Reborn's strategy, I'm trying to reflect the 'Bird Cage' from Aokana a bit, combined with the idea of the neutral zone trap, left wing lock, or 1-3-1 in hockey - basically extremely defensive, almost game-breaking strategies that are highly effective but almost contrary to the spirit of the game.
> 
> Just a little more commentary - the mobile suits in this universe, as I've established, can't fly indefinitely. Somewhat like the ones in Gundam Seed - they can't just fly endlessly unless they want to burn through tons of power, or are a hybrid mobile suit/plane with wings built on. Or alternatively, a mobile suit standing on a grav sled/jet sled. Unless of course, someone has a new power source (Gladius' overdrive, for example).


	6. Shore Leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The tritium fusion reactor was in many ways, similar to the Industrial Revolution of the 1800’s. Countries that adapted the new energy source experienced rapid economic growth, better standards of living, and a restructuring of manufacturing and power grid systems. Appropriately so, this period of time came to be known as the ‘Tritium Revolution’._
> 
> _Where this revolution was different was the environmental impact. While the Industrial Revolution led to the widespread use of fossil fuels and an increase in pollution, the clean energy of the tritium fusion reaction allowed nations all over the world to reverse the damage._
> 
> _With a few notable exceptions, several countries successfully moved to post-carbon economies, bringing life to a world that had been slowly dying over the past several decades. Forests recovered; the oceans revived. This meant healthier people on a renewed planet._
> 
> _Tritium fusion brought humanity into the future. And that future included idyllic beaches with crystal clear water, suitable for enjoying the increased standard of living by cavorting about in scanty swimsuits._
> 
> _Viva la revolution._  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminders/Definitions
> 
> NCAA: National Collegiate Athletic Association (American collegiate sports league)  
> CIS: Canadian Intercollegiate Sports (Canadian collegiate sports league)  
> PAC: Pan-Asian Combine (One of the world's powers, alongside PARDA/EU. Led by China, includes most of Asia except for Korea/Japan)  
> PARDA: Pacific Rim Defense Agreement  
> CINY: Cenorobotics Institute of New York  
> SCS: Standard Combative System. Fighting style of PARDA soldiers, includes elements of krav maga, jiu jitsu, kickboxing. Looks like MMA, essentially  
> Ahoge: Cowlick/hair antenna prevalent in anime

July 31, 2049 (Saturday Morning) 

“It’s hard to believe that this place is only two hours south of Isokaze… This is incredible.” Seiji whistled appreciatively as he drove through the small seaside town of Ibusuki.

Velocity had of course taken Kaito’s generous offer to stay at the resort before its grand opening. Early in the morning at the end of the spring term, the team piled into their rented van and headed for the Ibusuki. By default, Seiji was the driver - no one else had a license. 

Isokaze was certainly a nice town with its share of decent beaches, but at its core it was a place built to serve the university and the military base. There were some good restaurants and sightseeing options, but not many. On the other hand, Ibusuki was a purpose-built vacation spot. Manicured palm trees and hibiscus flowers decorated the town, artfully arranged so as not to block the views of the crystal clear sea lapping at the beach. Hotels and resorts dotted the area, along with a plethora of entertainment options. Even in the morning, bars, restaurants, and boutiques were starting to open up to serve the first of the Golden Week tourists.

Yuuna nodded, scrolling through the passenger side display in the van as she looked up likely spots for meals and sightseeing for the team. “Mmhm! It’s one of my favorite spots near Isokaze, Maki-san. There’s the beach, obviously. But there’s also Lake Ikeda on the other side of the town. It’s one of Isokaze and Kagoshima’s biggest achievements; before the Tritium Revolution, the caldera and surrounding area were completely polluted. Now, it’s a natural reserve and one of the most popular campgrounds in Japan. The views are incredible!”

Shou nodded, his eyes on a group of bikini clad girls walking along the sandy beach. “Uh huh. Incredible views. I’ll say--Ouch!”

Kaori flicked Shou’s ear without looking. “Stop being a pervert.” She said, distractedly. The redhead was looking out the other window of the van.

Mayu frowned briefly at Shou before turning to Kaori. “Is something wrong, Kaori?”

Kaori shook her head. “Just thought I recognized someone, Mayu.”

“Is that the resort?!” Valerie woke up from her half-slumber, her _ahoge_ seeming to perk up along with the French engineer. “ _Damn!_ Nice to have relatives in high places, huh Captain America?”

Seiji grinned as he pulled into the resort, pulling up to their assigned villa. The place was largely empty with the exception of a few staff members preparing for next week’s grand opening. “We’ll have to thank him when he gets here.”

“Oh, he’s coming?” Yuuna asked.

“Yep.” Seiji said. “A little later. He didn’t want Nikki to feel left out, so she’s coming along with a couple of her friends as well. Uncle Kaito’s driving them, but they had to leave a little later. Isokaze Senior High’s having an assembly this morning before breaking for summer.”

“Does that mean Hikari-sensei’s dropping by as well?” Shou asked, intrigued by the thought of the curvaceous doctor showing up in a swimsuit.

Seiji shook his head. “She can’t make it.”

“Why?” Shou asked.

_‘Hey, Uncle Kaito - why don’t you take the chance and invite Aunt Yuki as well?’_

_‘She can’t come, Seiji. She’s going to spend the weekend with one of her girlfriends.’_

_‘...Girlfriend? You know, I think I know why you guys are having a rough time…’_

Seiji suppressed his grin. Of course, Uncle Kaito had reassured him it was a friend who was a girl, and not a _girlfriend_. But it was still funny nonetheless. “Didn’t say. Anyway, we’re here!”

The group stepped out of the van. The villa was stunning; it reminded Seiji a lot of the diner he had taken Yuuna to. Modern, sleek lines with tasteful decorations. Yuuna looked up, wide-eyed. “Are you sure this is okay…?”

“Uncle Kaito insisted.” Seiji smiled. “If you want an excuse to feel better about it, he said we can think of it like a beta test before the grand opening. We can tell him about any problems or issues we see before they start taking in actual guests. We should get unpacked first, though. There’s four bedrooms… Let’s leave one for Uncle Kaito. Then it’ll be me and Shou in one, you girls in another, and Nikki’s group in the last.”

Valerie sidled up to Yuuna while they started to unload the van. She gave her friend a sleazy grin. “Are you disappointed?”

Yuuna glanced at Valerie, rolling her eyes. “Oh, come on, Valerie-chan. What did you think he was going to say--”

Velocity’s manager cut herself off as Seiji stepped up, hauling a suitcase out of the back. He glanced sidelong at Yuuna as he spoke. “You know, if the sleeping arrangements are making you feel _lonely_ \--”

Valerie burst out laughing. “Something like that.”

Seiji grinned, winking.

Yuuna huffed. “You’re _both_ the worst.”

“That’s not actually possible.” Valerie frowned. “Two people can’t be the worst. You have to pick one, Yuu-chan.”

Seiji nodded sagely. “By definition, the worst implies a singular entity.”

“The. Worst.” Yuuna huffed, despite her smile.

>>>

Seiji headed to the beach with an umbrella, cooler, and a few other things floating behind him in a small grav-sled. The team divided up the chores, like buying more food or drinks. As a reward for being the driver for the team, Seiji was given the ‘task’ of heading down to the beach ahead of the others to set up a nice spot to lounge. He happily headed down to the ocean after texting his uncle to let them know they had arrived safely.

Seiji found a good spot, pausing to take in the long, idyllic coastline. He smiled. Over the past few weeks, it had been harder and harder to feel homesick, thanks to his uncle, his friends, and Yuuna. Sights like this were icing on the cake, though. He turned, reaching into the grav-sled for the large beach blanket. Instead, he ‘oofed’ as he was caught off-guard by a flying Nikki.

“Nii-chan~!”

“Whoa! Haha, hey, Nikki.” Seiji grinned, barely catching his sister’s flying hug. “Happy to see me, happy that your break’s started, or happy that it’s the ocean?”

Nikki grinned up at Seiji mischievously. “Two out of the three.”

Seiji chuckled, ruffling Nikki’s hair. “Fair enough. How was the trip down? Where are your friends?”

“They’re buying a few things in town. And the trip was great! When you texted Uncle Kaito that you were headed to the beach, I decided that I wanted to come straight here!”

The Maki siblings set up their spot on the beach quickly. Mostly because Nikki kept looking at the water impatiently.

“You know you don’t have to wait for me, Nikki…” Seiji chuckled.

“Thanks!” NIkki chirped. She took off her cover-up, revealing her pink, frilly tankini. Seiji wasn’t sure whether to feel concerned or relieved. While it wasn’t nearly as skimpy as the outfits of the girls Shou had been admiring, Nikki was undeniably cute.

_‘Hm. Might have to spend the trip fighting off random dudes--’_

“Bro!” Shou approached with Mayu in tow. He grinned at Seiji before he gave Nikki his most charming smile. “Seems like every time I look at you, you’re with a cute girl. Hi there! My name’s Shou Shinjirou. That swimsuit looks great on y--”

Seiji frowned. He stepped in front of Nikki.

Shou rolled his eyes. “Come on Bro, don’t be like that--”

Mayu tugged at the hem of Shou’s t-shirt. “ _Shou-kun_ . Remember? Seiji-kun said his _sister_ was coming…? His sister who’s still in _high school_?”

Shou blinked. His eyes widened.

Seiji crossed his arms, raising his eyebrow.

“Er… What I _meant_ to say, is that I’m Shou Shinjirou. And this is Mayu Akemi. We’re two of your brother’s teammates?” Shou chuckled awkwardly, wilting under Seiji’s withering gaze.

Nikki smiled. “Hi! I’m Nikki. Nii-chan talks about you guys all the time. Pleased to meet you!”

“Where’s the rest?” Seiji asked. He had more than passing curiosity about what Yuuna would look like in her swimwear.

“Ah, Yuuna’s being all Manager-y and making sure a few more things are squared away in the villa. And Valerie’s getting changed, she just got back from the store.” Shou said. “And Kaori… Ah, she saw this creepy guy taking pictures of girls and just marched right up to him…”

“HEY, ASSHOLE! YOU FORGOT YOUR CAMERA!” Kaori’s yell echoed down the beach. Everyone turned, watching the firebrand drop-kick an expensive-looking camera. It arced high into the air… and struck the back of the head of the fleeing man, who thudded bonelessly into the sand. Kaori muttered, stomping up to the group as she snapped a memory card in half with her bare hands.

Nikki stared at Kaori, wide-eyed. “Wow, Nii-chan. She’s _exactly_ as you described.”

Kaori glared at Seiji. “And how did you describe me, exactly?”

Seiji shrugged, with his prototypical crooked grin. “As fiery as you are cute?”

By now, Kaori was entirely immune. She rolled her eyes and turned to Nikki, her irritated expression changing to curiosity. “Oh. And who are you…?”

Nikki grinned. “Nikki Maki. I’m Seiji’s little sister.”

Kaori smiled back, nodding. “Kaori Itami.” She smirked. “You’re lucky you two don’t look alike.”

“Thanks!” Nikki said.

“No kidding.” Seiji chuckled.

Both siblings blinked. They turned to each other, speaking simultaneously.

“What the hell do you mean by that?!” The two glared at each other, bristling in a way that made them look _exactly_ like each other. The showdown was broken by the rest of the group laughing at the pair.

Seiji smiled despite himself. “Well, we’ve got our spot. What are we waiting for--oof!”

He stumbled forward, barely catching the person who had launched herself onto his back.

“Hey, Valerie.” Seiji said, without even turning around.

Valerie had her arms draped over his shoulders from behind, effectively riding him piggyback. Seiji didn’t have to look at her to know that she had a sleazy grin on her face. “Hey, flyboy. Mind if I go for a _ride_?”

“Who--who are _you_? What are you doing?!” Nikki snapped. “Do you just jump on every guy you see?”

Seiji blinked at his sister’s unexpectedly strong reaction.

Nonplussed, Valerie slipped off Seiji’s back, shrugging. She stood with her hands on her hips, completely comfortable with the skimpy white bikini she was in. “Just the cute ones.”

“What about me, then?” Shou asked, grinning.

Valerie eyed Shou and Mayu. She smirked. “I think poor Mayu-Mayu would have an aneurysm, Shou.”

“We’re… we’re just friends!” Mayu stammered.

“Please. That’s about as believable as when Yuu-chan says it.” Valerie snickered.

“When I say what?” Yuuna asked, arriving on scene.

“Oh, hey, Yuuna. Valerie’s just saying… …” Seiji trailed off as his eyes lit upon Yuuna.

Silence reigned over the group as they noticed her. Velocity’s manager was clad in a light pink bikini, with rose-colored trim and a matching sarong. The sarong did little to cover anything up. And in Seiji’s view, covering anything more would have been a mortal sin. Apparently, Yuuna’s uniform and selection of casual outfits didn’t do the manager’s figure _any_ justice. While the American pilot had his suspicions from all the times she clung to him on the back of his motorcycle, it was clear to him now that his imagination had been completely lacking.

He wondered if Louis Réard, the inventor of the bikini, was more than an automobile engineer and clothing designer. He wondered if the Frenchman was in fact a prophet, who foresaw the coming of Yuuna Misaki and her _outrageously sexy_ body, and thus designed the bikini to ensure that this moment would come to pass.

Seiji wished he could high-five backwards through time. He settled for meeting Shou’s knuckles in a silent, no-look fist bump.

“Oh! Hi, Nikki-chan! When did you get here… Er… Guys?” Yuuna bit her lip. She was clearly starting to regret her choice of swimming attire.

Nikki looked down at her own chest, and then back to Yuuna’s impressive assets. She sighed. “Life is _so_ unfair.”

Valerie marched right up to Yuuna, her eyes fixed directly on her chest. “I was wondering why you didn’t let me see you try anything on when we were out shopping… Where have you been _hiding_ these?!”

“I… I’d like to know, too.” Shou mumbled.

Mayu frowned; she sighed. “So _that’s_ it.”

“!! Er, no! I mean, they’re great, but I like yours, too. Even more, actually!” Shou stammered.

Mayu’s jaw dropped as she made an odd sound, something between a squawk and a squeak.

Seiji facepalmed. “Smooth.”

“STOP. BEING. PERVERTS.” Kaori punched Shou and Seiji’s shoulders, each in turn.

Shou rubbed his arm. “Ouch! You were looking too, Kaori!”

Kaori’s eyes widened at having been caught. “I… I wasn’t!”

“You weren’t looking at what?” Seiji asked, innocently.

“I wasn’t looking at her chest-- Jerk!” Kaori smacked Seiji again.

“ _Seriously!?”_ Yuuna groaned, crossing her arms over herself in a somewhat futile gesture to cover up.

“Nikki! Hey!” The high pitched voice signified another addition to the chaos as Nikki’s friends arrived. Akane and Megumi bounded up to the group, smiling broadly. In particular, they bounded up to Seiji.

“Hi, Seiji-san!” Akane chirped.

Megumi beamed at him, her hands clasped behind her back. “So good to see you again, Seiji-san! Did you have anything planned? There’s a beautiful temple dedicated to Umiko close by. Super romantic. We’d _love_ to show you--”

“No.” Nikki grumbled. “We’re leaving.” She looked around her friends. Her eyes widened in terror. “We’re leaving RIGHT NOW.”

“Nikki, hold on!” Seiji reached down. “You need your phone and wallet--”

“No I don’t!” Nikki started trying to drag off her friends. “It’s totally fine, Nii-chan! I’ll be fine! Come _on_ , let’s _go!_ ”

Akane rolled her eyes. “Isn’t he staying at the house, too, Nikki? It’s not like your brother isn’t going to meet Ken eventually.”

“Ken?” Seiji started to smirk.

“Eventually doesn’t mean _now_!” NIkki snapped. “I had a plan! I--”

“Maki-san?”

Both Seiji and Nikki looked up. After all, they were both ‘Maki-san’. “Yes?”

Before them was a high school student, male, with short brown hair. He was fit, and wore board shorts to go with his backpack and unbuttoned short-sleeved shirt.

Seiji grinned at Nikki. “Oh? Who’s _this_?”

“No one!” Nikki stomped her foot, her fists clenched at her hips. She gasped a moment later, waving a hand frantically at the newcomer. “Tsuda-kun, that’s _totally_ not what I meant. You’re not ‘no one’--”

Seiji stepped forward, his grin never leaving his face. Judging by her reaction, this was quite likely Nikki’s first prospective if not actual boyfriend. Given that their father wasn’t with them anymore, it was therefore Seiji’s sacred duty to ~~ruthlessly troll~~ carefully vet the young man, to make sure he could be ~~hilariously tortured~~ fully trusted around his precious little sister.

This was going to be fun. This was going to be--

Seiji was dumbfounded as Ken shot forward, grasping his hand between his own, shaking vigorously.

“Seiji Maki-san of Velocity, right?!” Ken asked, still enthusiastically shaking Seiji’s hand up and down, sparkles in his eyes. “I’ve been following the team all season! When I found out that your sister was in my class, I almost had a stroke! Your match against Exceed was amazing! Did you think of a strategy against Reborn yet?!”

Akane giggled, looking at Nikki. “This was better than what you were worried about, wasn’t it? You thought your brother was going to scare Tsuda-kun off. It looks like Seiji-san can’t get a word in edgewise.”

Seiji caught Nikki’s eye. He grinned. He could work with this, too. He slung a friendly arm over the starstruck teen’s shoulder. “ _Hey_ , buddy. Great to meet you. Call me Seiji! So you’ve been spending time with Nikki, huh? Did you know that when she was little, she…”

Nikki let out something between a screech and a snarl. In a flash she shoved Seiji’s t-shirt back over his head without bothering to line up the sleeves or collar, momentarily converting him into a blinded sausage from waist up. She snatched her bag and Ken’s hand before Seiji could get his shirt back off, dragging him away from her brother. Laughing, Megumi and Akane followed along, waving and winking at Seiji.

“Well. That was pretty chaotic.” Seiji laughed. He turned to the group. “Right, guys? ...Right…?”

They were all staring at him. Yuuna in particular had a flat, dull expression reflected in her normally sparkling eyes. “...How old were those girls, exactly, Maki-san?”

Valerie grinned. “If you like them younger, you could have just asked _me_.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like I was hitting on them. Help me out, Shou.” Seiji protested.

Shou just shook his head. Seiji couldn’t tell if it was disgust or admiration. “I don’t know how you do it… Not just the girls, but that guy, too. Seriously… You have to tell me your secret.”

Apparently, it was admiration.

“Ugh!” Kaori rolled her eyes, grabbing Mayu and Yuuna’s hands. “Let’s go swim and leave the three _perverts_ alone.”

Valerie shrugged at Seiji with a crooked grin, trailing after the girls. Shou and Seiji followed. Kaori and Mayu were already up to their necks in the gentle waves, swimming and playing. Valerie quickly swam out to meet them; Yuuna stood hip-deep, seemingly not interested in going any further into the water.

“Yuuna? Something wrong?” Shou asked. “Why aren’t you with the others?”

Mayu waved. “The water’s great, Yuuna!”

“I’m fine here, thanks.” Yuuna smiled awkwardly. “I’m just--!!”

Yuuna vanished with a cut-off yelp. In a moment of panic, Seiji surged forward, diving into the water where he saw her last. She was nowhere to be seen; it didn’t make sense. In the crystal-clear, shallow water, she couldn’t have just vanished. His head breached the surface.

“Yuuna!” Seiji yelled.

“Don’t look!”

Seiji spun. Yuuna was in deeper water now, but still able to stand. She was clutching her body like she was hurt, keeping her back to the group; she snatched at something floating in front of her. If her awkward, frantic movements weren’t enough of a clue as to what had happened, Valerie resurfacing in a fit of laughter completed the picture.

“Haha! Never saw me coming, eh Yuu-chan?”

“This isn’t funny, Valerie!” Yuuna snapped, turning progressively more red. She managed to get her top at least back in contact with her skin, but struggled to tie it back on in her panicked state.

“Okay, okay, let me help--Ouch!” Valerie winced, ineffectually swatting at Kaori’s iron grip as the redhead dragged her back towards the shore by her ear.

“Seriously, Valerie!? Pulling her under is one thing, but doing _that_?! What’s wrong with you?!”

As Kaori scolded Valerie, Seiji stepped forward. “Here, Yuuna. Let me.”

She squeaked, jumping. “M-m-maki-san!? You… you won’t look, right?”

“Yeah. Just… Hold still, Yuuna.” Seiji said. He tied up the knot at her back. While he kept his eyes fixed on her back, he couldn’t help but notice how smooth her pale skin felt at the tips of his fingers. He watched her shoulders relax as he finished.

She sighed, turning to face Seiji. She glared over at Valerie, who just shrugged at Yuuna as she continued to receive an earful from Kaori. She looked up at Seiji, starting to cross her arms in front of her. To Seiji’s surprise, she let her arms drop, settling for clasping her hands under the water in front of her. She peered up at him before looking quickly back at the water.

“I… I look okay, right? It’s tied on properly?” Yuuna asked. Seiji took the invitation, his eyes tracing over her.

“Perfect.” Seiji said, answering honestly.

“Thanks.” Yuuna smiled shyly. “...I heard you yelling my name?”

“Ah.” Seiji chuckled sheepishly. “You just disappeared, and I couldn’t see you under the water. I sorta panicked.”

Yuuna’s smile widened as she giggled. “Really? In the shallows, with water as clear as glass? My hero.”

“What can I say? You’re important to me--”

Seiji and Yuuna both sputtered as they each caught a face full of water from Shou and Mayu.

“Haha, shouldn’t have let your guard down, Bro! Let’s see you hineri-doohickey out of this one!” Shou laughed. He then yelped as Seiji disappeared under the water, yanking Shou’s ankles out from under him. Shou resurfaced, coughing. “Holy…! Are you part dolphin or something?!”

Seiji’s answer was a splash to the face, as civil war was declared among the PARDA citizens.

>>>

A short time later, Shou and Seiji relaxed over some beer, sitting under the shade of the group’s beach umbrellas. The girls were engaged in a spirited game of volleyball, with Kaori and Mayu against Yuuna and Valerie.

“Hey, Bro. I’ll bet you twenty-five pushups that Kaori and Mayu take this.” Shou grinned.

Seiji maintained his poker face as Yuuna accepted the ball. It was her turn to serve. “Oh? Just twenty-five?”

“One hundred, then.” Shou said.

“One hundred. And I’ll bet you another hundred that neither Kaori nor Mayu can return a single one of Yuuna’s serves.”

Shou laughed. Kaori and Mayu were both mobile suit pilots, and pretty good athletes. “You’re on, man. Hope you enjoy pushups in the hot sand--”

A spray of said hot said erupted into the air as Yuuna’s jump serve smashed into the ground like a shot from Deep Sky’s Impulse. Neither Kaori nor Mayu had even budged from their starting positions. They both stared in stunned silence as Yuuna high-fived Valerie.

Shou sat bolt upright. “The hell was _that_?! I thought she just played tennis?!”

“Tennis and swimming competitively, when she was in high school. She had to stop volleyball. Something about how girls on the opposing team started having nervous breakdowns whenever they had to play against Yuuna’s school and receive that serve with their bare hands. Yuuna’s a sweetheart. Couldn’t stand seeing so many people cry.” Seiji said, smiling. “So… I think that’s two hundred pushups, total, if Yuuna keeps serving up aces and her team wins?”

Another explosion of sand. This one left a shallow crater, perfectly placed in the corner of the court. Just barely in bounds.

Shou smiled weakly. “Can… Can I just start now?”

Seiji motioned graciously with his beer towards the sand. He kept his eyes on the game. Watching the girls play a sport that involved this much jumping was some pretty incredible eye candy.

“Excellent view, wouldn’t you say, Maki-kun?”

Seiji nodded. “Mm. Sure is, Masato-senpai. ...The hell?!”

Akira Masato sat alongside Seiji. He smiled at Seiji like it was the most natural thing in the world for him to be there, with a beer he had helped himself to from the cooler. Shou paused in his pushups.

“When did you get here?!” Shou asked.

“I’ve been here the entire time?” Akira said.

“Doubtful.” Seiji chuckled, before shrugging. “It doesn’t really matter, anyway. The more the merrier, Masato-senpai. Shouldn’t you be training, though? Summer Nationals are coming up.”

“Thanks for your concern, Maki-kun. But, this is a pre-planned rest day.” Akira sighed, sipping at his beer. “And really, it’s hard to imagine a better way to rest.”

“That one doesn’t count, Shou. Not low enough.” Seiji said, glancing at Shou. Shou groaned loudly as Seiji turned back to Akira. “Never got the chance to say congrats, by the way. That was a hell of a strategy you threw at us.”

Akira shook his head. “I can’t take credit for it, Maki-kun. It was Tseng-kun that came up with and executed it.”

Seiji arched an eyebrow. “Really? You’d let a second year import take the lead on a well-established team like Reborn?”

“It’s part of our mandate.” Akira replied. “Whoever’s named the captain of the squad for the day’s match gets to determine the strategy. For the most part, they end up going with what our team usually does - hard to make big changes compared to what we practice, you know? But we knew weeks ahead of time which rotation would be in the Final Four match… So Tseng-kun convinced the rest of his assigned squadron to use their spare time to practice what he calls the ‘Birdcage’.”

Akira paused. A slight frown briefly graced his features; Seiji looked at the white-haired pilot curiously.

“You… You don’t approve of it, do you, Masato-senpai?”

Akira chuckled. “I’m that transparent, am I? But then again, so are you. You love piloting, don’t you, Maki-kun?”

Seiji nodded. “Of course.”

“Me too. It’s clear in the way you fly Gladius… Even when you were in the NCAA you still stuck out, even though your entire team was somewhat unorthodox.” Akira laughed. “I’d hazard a guess that part of the reason why that Canadian team almost lost to you was because they thought they had stumbled into an airshow!”

“Rare to find someone on this side of the ocean who’s watched NCAA Windshear.” Seiji said. “Or even CIS.”

“I’m always on the lookout for more ideas, Maki-kun. Based on what I saw in your NCAA matches and what you showed us during the spring season, I think you and I would have a rather spirited match if it came down to a duel.” Akira chuckled. “It’s hard to watch your fights without feeling fired up. Which brings me to my point, about my junior. Did you know that most PAC schools don’t play Windshear?”

“I had no idea.” Seiji shook his head. “The PAC always fields reasonably strong teams, so I just assumed that the schools all played…”

“So did I. It turns out that PAC citizens interested in Windshear do their training outside of armored combat academies. After all, Windshear has evolved to look less and less like actual combat over the years. Their PAC-affiliated schools are more like traditional military academies.” Akira said. “Tseng-kun thought it was bizarre that a PARDA school would spend so much time on a game.”

Akira finished his beer, putting the bottle in a crate with the other empties. He glanced at Seiji. The blonde motioned to the cooler; the white-haired third year gratefully accepted another bottle before he continued speaking.

“But he was under orders from the PAC to fully experience life as a PARDA student. And so that meant Windshear. His approach to the game isn’t one founded on the joy of piloting or thrill of combat. To him, Windshear isn’t combat at all. Just something he has to do. So he sought - and found - a way to win predictably and efficiently… ...So he says.”

Seiji didn’t miss the implication. “What do you think the real reason is?”

Akira shrugged. “I have no idea. What I _can_ tell you, though, is that he only came up with the idea for the Birdcage after I showed him footage of CINY Liquid facing down all comers in the NCAA, and then nearly toppling the best team of the CIS. He doesn’t show it, Maki-kun, but he’s more than a little interested in you and your team.”

“And why are you telling me all of this?” Seiji asked.

Akira smiled. “Tseng-kun’s a good man, even if he tries to act aloof. I’m hoping that between you and I, we might show him that there’s some fun to be had in flying after all.”

Akira raised his bottle to Seiji. Seiji couldn’t help but return Akira’s earnest smile, clinking his bottle against his.

“Velocity will do what we can.” Seiji said. “Cheers.”

There was a soft thump in the sand as Shou finished his pushups. Seiji chuckled, placing a cold one in Shou’s outstretched hand. “And cheers to you, too, Shou.”

>>>

The team (plus Akira) spent the day at the beach, playing and relaxing until the sun was low in the sky. Kaori and Valerie packed up the group’s things, assisted by Akira - the captain of Reborn insisted, as repayment for the beer and pleasant company. Yuuna found herself sitting alone at the edge of the surf, watching the waves lap gently at her toes.

“Hey, Yuuna.”

Yuuna looked up to see Seiji, standing nearby in his board shorts. She wet her lips; her mouth felt dry partly because she had been sitting in silence on her own for the past little while, and partly because of how the American looked without a shirt on. He really was committed to a career in PARDA’s military, keeping up with the physical fitness requirements dutifully.

“Ah. Maki-san. Is it time to go?”

Seiji shook his head, taking a seat beside her.

“Not yet. Kaori, Valerie, and Masato-senpai are packing up… And also, Shou and Mayu aren’t back yet.” Seiji grinned. “Looks like they’re finally making a little progress.”

“That’s nice. They look good together.” Yuuna murmured, idly drawing a circle in the sand to give her something else to look at. “I’d be really happy for them… The classic childhood friends story, you know?”

“Mm. Not my favorite cliche, though.”

“You have a favorite love story?” Yuuna asked, curiously. She recognized the opening she gave him immediately, already starting to blush. Not that she minded… Not at all. He delivered the flirtatious one-liner she was expecting.

“I prefer _koi no yokan_ , between strangers.” He said, with a softness that she _didn’t_ expect.

Yuuna stole a glance at him. He was looking out at the water, rather than flashing that cocky grin at her, the one that made her heart skip a beat at the same time that it annoyed her. Right now, he just had a little wistful smile, something that tugged lightly at her heartstrings.

 _‘Just how many expressions is he going to show me…?’_ Yuuna wondered. Before she could figure out how to ask what he was thinking, he spoke, unbidden.

“You know, I realized something today?”

“Hm?”

“I realized that I’m _happy_. Actually happy.” Seiji chuckled. His smile remained bittersweet, though.

“...Isn’t that a good thing?” Yuuna asked, softly. She reached over, tentatively touching his hand.

“It’s supposed to be.” Seiji shrugged. He looked at Yuuna, giving her his usual smile. “What were you thinking about? You looked lost in thought.”

Yuuna frowned briefly, but accepted his attempt to change the subject for now. She looked back down at her toes, wiggling them in the surf.

“I was just thinking about the last time I was here. It was last year, with my family… It was just as beautiful then as it is now. We all went swimming, and these little fish were nibbling at our toes. I was just thinking about how we all had such a good time, about as much fun as all of us had here today.” She turned, smiling at Seiji. “In fact, it was right around this time, too. Dai-nii was all excited about the Summer Nationals...”

Yuuna trailed off.

Seiji’s eyes widened. “Ah, sorry, Yuuna. I shouldn’t have asked.”

She shook her head, giving Seiji a smile and his hand a reassuring squeeze. “No. It’s fine, Maki-san. Dai-nii wouldn’t have stood for it, me feeling sad about having a good time. He’d want me to keep coming here, to make even more good memories.”

Seiji nodded slowly, turning to the water. He looked pensive. “...And that makes you feel better, just remembering that?”

“Yes. It does, usually…”

“Ah. That’s… that’s good.” Seiji murmured, turning back to the water.

Yuuna blinked. It dawned on her then, why Seiji seemed somewhat subdued. She had asked once about the picture he kept taped to the instrument panel inside Gladius - the one with his sister and parents at the amusement park. When she asked when it was taken, he had, as usual deflected with a flirtatious remark and smile.

It was probably the last family vacation they had together. The last time they were all happy together, without a care in the world.

_‘He… He doesn’t think he should be happy, does he? He doesn’t think he deserves it.’_

The thought pained her more than she thought possible. She looked at him. He was smiling again, pointing out something in the distance; she barely heard him. It was both frustrating and gratifying, the way he interacted with her. Gratifying, because he seemed to open up to her more than anyone else on the team. Frustrating, because he still left so much unsaid.

He treated her differently from the others; she could even hear it in the way he spoke her name. But why wouldn’t he take it any further?

Yuuna couldn’t deny it anymore; she was completely in love with him. But what was she to him?

“Maki-san, I--”

“Hey, why don’t we race?” Seiji said, suddenly. He stood, pointing to a large rock sticking out of the water. “I could go for one more swim.”

Yuuna stood up, frowning slightly. The earlier mishap with her bikini top was still on her mind. “I don’t know…”

Seiji shrugged. “That’s fair. You’re afraid to lose to a _real_ athlete.”

“Right. Anyway, I-- Wait, _what_?!”

She turned to glare at Seiji. He flashed his biggest, cockiest grin at her. Even though this deflection was even more obvious than the last one, she couldn’t let that go. “What do you mean by _that_?”

“I’m just saying, volleyball and tennis are fine, but SCS and combatives are tougher. And also, there’s the obvious advantage I’d have from my reach and gender--”

Yuuna turned, calling out to Kaori, Valerie, and Akira. “You guys can go ahead of us back to the villa! I need to teach Maki-san some manners!”

“Kick his ass, Yuuna!” Kaori laughed.

“Or bite it, Yuu-chan! If you’re into that kinda thing.” Valerie added, unnecessarily.

Seiji headed to the edge of the surf. Yuuna caught his wrist.

“...But, let’s make a bet, Maki-san.” Yuuna said. “The winner gets to ask the loser any question they want. And the loser has to answer.”

Seiji blinked, seeming to tense up a little. Yuuna was steadfast, though, meeting his hazel eyes evenly. After a moment, he shook his head with a little sigh.

“...I… have a hard time saying no to you, Yuuna. Fine. But you’re going to get my best.”

Yuuna smiled. “Bring it on.”

They lined up at the edge of the surf.

“One…” Yuna set her feet, eyeing the distance between the breakers.

“Two.” Seiji crouched, tensing his legs.

“Three!” The two charged into the surf. Yuuna timed her jump perfectly, diving down as the wave approached. She dug her hands into the soft sand under the surface, planting her feet, and launching herself back out of the water. A picture-perfect dolphin dive. A quick glance to her side told her that Seiji was no slouch himself, but his timing was just a bit off. She had the advantage.

They broke past the shallows; Yuuna dug into the water, making a beeline for the rock. She heard a splash just behind her; Seiji was rapidly catching up. His reach really did count for something.

Her lungs, arms, and legs burned as she tried to keep up her advantage. Her eyes widened as Seiji started to pull ahead.

Time for desperate measures. She took a deep breath, diving beneath the surface of the water. She undulated her body and legs in perfect synch, using the dolphin kick to burst ahead, performing an underwater version of the low yo-yo maneuver. She resurfaced, her palm slapping the side of the smooth rock - just as Seiji’s fingers touched the stone.

The two bobbed in the water, standing on their toes on an underwater outcropping of the stone. Seiji looked breathless, his cheeks flushed.

“It’s… It’s a tie!” Yuuna panted.

“I suppose. No penalty for either of us?” Seiji said.

“Well… How about we both take the penalty, then?” Yuuna asked. “We can each ask each other a question.”

Seiji smirked. “I’m game, if you are. But you know, Yuuna. I could ask _anything_.”

“I… I’ll take the chance.” Yuuna said, averting her eyes. She took a deep breath. “...Maki-san, why do you treat me the way you do? What am I, to you?”

Seiji’s posture stiffened slightly, even if his face retained his irreverent smirk. “Wow. Right for the deep secret, Yuuna? I thought you were going to ask where I keep my porn, or if I was a breast or butt guy. You can probably guess the last one, though.”

Yuuna’s jaw dropped, feeling mildly scandalized. Particularly when Seiji’s gaze pointedly dropped to her chest, his smirk shifting to an outright leer. She started to turn away, until she remembered - Seiji _never_ pushed. Never wanted her to feel uncomfortable. He was trying to deflect, trying to drive her away. She looked at him, meeting his eyes again. She shook her head.

“Seiji.”

His name was like casting a spell. He sighed, smiling slightly. “...Not really a draw at all, Yuuna.” He turned his back to the rock, leaning against it. “You win.”

Yuuna’s resolve weakened a little. “You… You don’t have to. If…”

He shook his head. “A deal’s a deal, Yuuna. And honestly… I want to tell you.” Another nuanced smile. This one wasn’t flirtatious, cocky, or a mask of any kind. It was just… him. Vulnerable. Beautiful. “It’s a bit of a long story.”

“I’ll listen.” Yuuna murmured.

“Remember how my parents died?” Seiji asked.

Yuuna nodded. “A drunk driver, right?”

“Yeah.” Seiji said. “...There was a little more to it, though. It’s my fault that they were on the road. They died because of me.”

“That can’t be true.” Yuuna said. “You can’t blame yourself--”

“It’s objectively true, Yuuna.” Seiji held up his hand. “I was supposed to pick Nikki up from school that day, but I couldn’t make it because one of my classes ran long. I called Dad, and asked if he could cover for me. Mom was with him… She worked at Midori too, just in a different department. They were killed just a few blocks from Nikki’s school. They wouldn’t have been in the area if it wasn’t for me.”

He paused, before continuing.

“Before you say anything, I know it’s not really my _fault_ , Yuuna. It wasn’t the first time I asked Dad to pick Nikki up. And in the past, he’s asked me to do the same. It was just random, stupid chance. But I still felt responsible - still _feel_ responsible, especially for Nikki.”

“I get that…” Yuuna said. She moved closer to Seiji. “You’re a great brother to Nikki.”

“I hope so.” Seiji said. “...At the time, I was in a relationship. A girl named Elise. I thought we were in love; we probably were, in that stupid, teenager version of it where you think you’re going to be together forever. But then my parents died, and I started pouring my energy into looking after Nikki, into trying to be the best pilot I can be so I’d have a decent career… It was too much. Elise and I drifted apart, until the first contact I had with her in over a week was a phone call ending it. She said it was too hard to share.”

“That’s… That’s terrible.” Yuuna murmured.

“Maybe. But I get it. I was going to move to Japan anyway, and she was a year younger than me.” Seiji said. “It was too heavy for her. Hell. Sometimes it feels too heavy for me, too.”

He smiled at her. He reached for her. Yuuna gasped softly as he cupped her cheek, as if he was about to kiss her. Instead, he let his hand fall back to the water.

“You’re important to me, Yuuna. Sometimes, it’s all I can do to stop myself from kissing you and never letting you go.” Seiji murmured.

Yuuna put a hand over her heart in a vain attempt to calm it. It was what she wanted to hear; but the sweet words were made even sweeter by the bitterness she could feel coming next.

“...But I can’t be yours. Not completely. It’s funny, you know? Elise used to joke about having to share me with piloting; having to share me with the sky. Even before my parents died.” Seiji said. “It wasn’t fair to her. And it wouldn’t be fair to you, either. So, that’s it. That’s why I never push any further. That’s why I can’t be more. The flirting, the teasing… It’s just selfish indulgence. I’m sorry to have led you on.”

“...But, why--”

Seiji shook his head. “It’s one question each, isn’t it?”

“...Right.” She bit her lip.

“Why now, Yuuna? Why did you ask me this now?”

Yuuna bit her lip. It was only fair, she supposed.

“...How much have you heard? About me? About the rumors…?”

Yuuna told him everything she had told Valerie, and more. About how she started dating Suguo in a vulnerable moment; how he tried to control her, pressure her into having sex with him. About when she broke it off with him, Suguo responded by telling anyone who’d listen that she slept around with the majority of Reborn, both before and after her brother’s death. And finally, about how the majority of ACE Academy’s faculty, eager to bury the scandal of Yuudai’s in-game death, weren’t willing to lift a finger to help her. To them, it was better that she left the school. As far as they were concerned, the Misaki name was already damaged goods.

“...I almost left ACE.” Yuuna said. “But then Director Sanada took over, and encouraged me to stay. She really helped, and even checks up on me from time to time. I didn’t tell you any of this because I didn’t want you looking at me any differently. I love… ...I loved the way you treated me like I was a person, not a target for harassment or pity. I wanted to ask you now because I need to know what I am, to you. I need to know if there’s a future… If you’d look at me differently because of this.”

Seiji was silent for a long time. Yuuna could barely meet his eyes; it was nerve-wracking. It felt like an eternity before he spoke again.

“Yuuna… This does make me look at you differently.”

Her heart felt like it was going to break - until he smiled at her again. That beautiful, warm, perfect smile. The one that made her feel like Seiji really _saw_ her.

“I knew you were a strong person, Yuuna. But you… You’re really incredible, aren’t you?” Seiji shook his head with a resigned smile. “...What am I going to do with you…?”

There was a high-pitched yell from the shore. Seiji’s eyes widened, his body already moving.

“Nikki!”

>>>

“We’re not interested!” Nikki shouted. Nikki, Megumi, Akane, and Ken were surrounded by a group of five men ‘looking for a good time’. Seeing three cute girls with just Ken as an escort, they felt that this was a great opportunity.

“Oh, come on!” The leader chuckled, spreading his arms magnanimously. “You don’t look local. Why don’t you ditch the boy and let some real men show you around? We can get you into any bar you want.”

“We’re underage!” Megumi craned her neck, looking for help. The beach was empty.

Another one of the men smirked at the swimsuit-clad girls. “Like that’s ever stopped us before…”

Nikki’s eyes widened. She reached into her bag, whipping out her phone. Before she could call for help, the lead thug’s hand was on her wrist. He prized the phone away from her.

“Let go! LET GO!” Nikki shrieked.

“No one’s coming, you little slut. Scream all you want-- !?”

His grip was broken in an instant. A vicious strike to his sternum sent him stumbling back.

Ken stood in one of the stances common to PARDA’s SCS, a side-on counter-attacking stance based on karate’s _kokutsu-dachi_. He quickly relaxed, standing up straight as he recognized this was still five grown men against one high school kid. “Ah… Look. We’re all high schoolers. People are expecting us back, you know? There could be trouble if we go missing. We won’t say anything if you let us go.”

The lead thug coughed, shaking his head. “...You want to try to make nice after sucker-punching me?”

“You were the one who grabbed her, asshole!” Akane snapped, staying close to Nikki. Nikki held her wrist, already forming a bruise. The man hadn’t been gentle.

One of them lunged forwards to tackle Ken.

The brunette youth nimbly dodged, driving his elbow into the man’s chin. He turned to follow up, only to have his arms pinioned behind his back. No matter how proficient he was in martial arts, multiple opponents while trying to protect three non-combatants was next to impossible.

“No!” Nikki moved to intervene, hurt wrist or not.

The leader grabbed her, laughing. “Fight’s no place for a girl.”

Another one of the men cracked his knuckles, raising his fist to punch the struggling Ken.

Something - rather, some _one_ \- shot into the group. Seiji leapt up in the same flying knee strike he unleashed on Souta weeks earlier, only with the addition of his hands on the back of Ken’s attacker’s head, ensuring every Newton of force was delivered right into his opponent’s nose. The man fell bonelessly to the ground - and chaos broke out.

Yuuna quickly led the girls away, the four of them running for help.

One of the men turned to follow; Seiji threw himself forward into a double-leg shoot, scrambling quickly into a mount position. He yelled as he struck viciously at his face, entirely heedless of the thug’s attempt to guard. Most of his blows weren’t effective, but Seiji’s objective wasn’t to win - it was to create enough of a ruckus and threat to make the men ignore the girls.

He was hauled back by a forearm across his throat. Whoever it was knew something about chokeholds; his carotids were squeezed between forearm and bicep, quickly making the blonde’s vision dim.

Relief came in the form of a roundhouse kick and kiai, sending Seiji’s assailant stumbling.

“I’m with you, Seiji-san!” Ken shouted, standing back to back with the American.

Seiji coughed, squaring up in his own preferred SCS stance. “Thanks, Tsuda-kun. ...Though, you probably should have run.”

Four of the five men surrounded them menacingly. The fifth - and victim of the flying knee strike - was on his hands and knees, but not completely out.

The leader reached into his pocket, taking out a taser. Electricity arced between the teeth. Another pulled a knife.

“...Well, shit.” Seiji muttered.

A frenetic melee started. Seiji and Ken desperately defended themselves and each other, barely avoiding being stabbed or shocked. This wasn’t about winning - this was about escape. Seiji dodged a knife thrust, catching the man’s arm - he hammered his elbow with an uppercut, dislocating it before throwing him into the surf at his feet. “Tsuda-kun! Run! Now--AAauugh!”

Seiji’s body convulsed as the taser dug into his back. He fell bonelessly into the water. Immediately, the leader of the group had Seiji by the back of his head, shoving his face into the water and mud.

He thought he could hear Nikki screaming in the distance. He was pinned down. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. His vision dimmed.

>>>

“...It’s going to be okay! Just stay together! Sachiko!—”

The ceiling above him collapsed, burying Seiji and his family alive. He could hear Mama and Papa’s muffled yells. He could hear Nikki crying. If he could just reach out a little further, he would be able to touch her little hand. He was supposed to look after her… He would look after Nikki, and Mama and Papa would look after them.

But he wasn’t strong enough. He couldn’t move.

It was harder and harder to breathe… Everything became quiet. It felt like an eternity passed by.

Suddenly there was a loud sound; shrieking metal and crumbling concrete; the sound of dirt and sod falling like rain. Light poured into the collapsed bunker, nearly blinding Seiji. The five-year old squinted into the sky; his eyes widened at the sight of a massive mobile suit, kneeling over the wreckage. The cockpit opened; someone descended to the ground via the pilot’s hook.

She walked over to Seiji, who made a feeble attempt to sit up.

“N...Nikki. Mama… Papa…”

“Ssh. It’s okay. It’s okay… You’re safe. You’re all safe, now…”

Seiji tried to focus on the pilot. It was too bright to see her face. Her uniform wasn’t American, Seiji knew that much. Not that it mattered - in the past few months, his parents had taught him to run and hide at the sight of _any_ military uniform. But he was too weak and hurt to run. And this stranger didn’t seem scary. She supported him gently. She felt warm, so warm, in comparison to his cold, battered body. He turned his head; he could see his family. Other people, wearing the same uniforms, tended to them. They were all safe.

“See?” She smiled. He could just make out her smile. “Your family is safe. Just rest. It’s okay…”

He closed his eyes, her warmth soothing him into restful oblivion.

>>>

It really was warm. And soft… and on his mouth.

In fact, it felt a lot like the last time he kissed Elise. He wondered if this was another dream. He opened his eyes. The sky was partly obscured by the sight of reddish-brown eyes behind rimless glasses. Dark brown hair tickled Seiji’s face as his still-hazy mind slowly put together what was happening.

The last thing he remembered was being drowned by the guy who tasered him. Apparently, he had been rescued, and was now receiving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Specifically, he was receiving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Mizuki Sanada, the intimidating and beautiful Director of ACE Academy.

Seiji snapped back into consciousness in a flash. He flailed his arms.

“Mmph!?!!”

Sanada sat back, sighing in relief as Seiji sat up and scrambled back, his eyes wide.

“Finally, Maki. I was getting worried.” She said nonchalantly, sitting comfortably on her knees. The Director was in a relatively sporty racerback black and red two-piece swimsuit. Relatively sporty, as it happened to have a diamond-shaped cleavage cutout that Seiji desperately tried to ignore.

“D-D-Director!? What were you-- I mean, why are you--... WHAT HAPPENED?!” Seiji looked about frantically. All five of the men had been hog-tied. Ken was sitting on the sand, being checked out by Yuki Hikari. 

Seiji’s jaw dropped. “Aunt Yuki?! _This_ is the ‘girlfriend’ you’re hanging out with!?”

Aunt Yuki gave Seiji a little wave. “Hihi, Seiji-chan! ...Oh, my. You’re so _red_. Did the Director steal your first kiss?”

“That wasn’t my first!— that’s not important!” Seiji looked around. “Where’s Nikki? And Yuuna?”

As if on cue, the girls walked into view, accompanied by Kaito and several police officers. The Director stood - even in Ibusuki, ‘Adrestia’ was well-known. Within moments, the men were hauled off to the local jail for processing. Yuuna walked over to Seiji, her hands clutched over her chest in concern.

“Maki-san! Are you okay?”

Director Sanada nodded, polishing the fog off her glasses with a cloth. “He’s fine, Misaki. He just had to be revived.”

“Good--...Revived? Revived how?” Yuuna asked.

Sanada shrugged. “I just--”

“--Got here in the nick of time.” Seiji said, laughing nervously. “Anyway, Uncle Kaito, sorry to interrupt your work…”

Kaito walked over, hauling Seiji into a relieved hug. The man looked almost frantic. “You’re okay! Thank goodness. When I heard from Nikki and saw the bruises on her wrist, I couldn’t help but assume the worst. What were you thinking?! Taking on five grown men with weapons?! Why didn’t you just run?!”

“It’s not as if I didn’t try—”

“Not hard enough!” Kaito sighed. “Come on. Let’s get back to the villa. You need to get some dinner in you, and then bed. Early.”

Kaito looked up, only now noticing Yuki. “...Oh! Uh… you’re welcome to come as well, Yuki.”

Yuki looked at Kaito, Seiji, and Nikki, as if she was carefully considering the little family. She smiled.

“You know… I think I’ll take you up on that.”

>>>

A few hours later, Yuuna sighed, shaking her head as she entered the villa’s kitchen and dining area.

“Being a bit of an idiot, huh?” Nikki was putting away leftovers from dinner.

“He is.” Yuuna grumbled. She started loading the dishwasher as she complained. “He’s insisting that he’s fine. I almost had to sit on him to get him to stay in bed!”

Nikki snorted. “He probably would have enjoyed it. How’d you get him to rest?”

“It wasn’t me.” Yuuna said, thoughtfully. “The Director poked her head in the door and said that if he didn’t rest properly, then she’d be forced to ‘declassify the details of his resuscitation’. I’m not sure what she meant, but it made Maki-san yank the sheets over his head and go to sleep immediately.”

Nikki shrugged. “Who knows?... Actually, doesn’t resuscitation from almost drowning involve…”

The girls exchanged glances as they considered the possibility.

“...Nah. No way.” Nikki said. After a moment, she gave Yuuna a sidelong glance. “You know… my brother and I are both ‘Maki-san’, technically. Why don’t you just call him ‘Seiji’?”

Yuuna nearly dropped a plate. She did, on occasion. When they practiced English. Earlier, after their race. But that was when they were alone. Heat rose to her face as she tried to come up with some excuse.

Nikki grinned, looking remarkably like her brother. “You’re _really_ cute. No wonder Nii-chan likes you so much. Has he asked you out yet?”

_‘But I can’t be yours. Not completely.’_

Yuuna’s shoulders stiffened. “Ah… No. He hasn’t.”

Nikki frowned. “That’s odd. I thought he would have taken this trip as an opportunity—… Yuuna?”

Yuuna wiped at her eyes, waving a hand at Nikki. She tried to smile. “It’s nothing. It’s nothing, Nikki-chan. I shouldn’t bother you about your own brother.”

Nikki shook her head. She slid a box of tissues to Yuuna. “You should bother me about it _because_ he’s my brother. What did he say to you?”

Yuuna found herself telling Nikki everything. It was strange; they had met before, obviously. Weeks of getting rides from Seiji, studying with him, and spending time with them had made that inevitable. But they had never really talked.

Even so, Nikki just quietly encouraged her to continue; they ended up sitting on the sofa, drinking tea together. It seemed the Maki siblings shared the same charisma that could be as gentle as it was flashy.

Nikki sighed. “He really is an idiot…”

Yuuna shook her head. “No. It’s fair. You’ve both been through a lot.”

“We have. But he needs to stop feeling guilty about trying to move on.” Nikki clicked her tongue against her teeth. “If he wants to talk about being unfair, it’s using his little sister as an excuse to be unhappy. How do you think that makes me feel?”

“So what do you think I should do, Nikki-chan?”

Nikki smiled, squeezing Yuuna’s hand. “Honestly? I think you should do whatever you want, Yuuna. We haven’t talked a lot, but from everything Nii-chan says, you’re a kind person who’s always looking out for the team, always putting everyone else ahead of yourself. I think you should figure out what _you_ want, and then shove it in his stupid face.”

Yuuna barked a short, surprised laugh. “Seriously?”

Nikki nodded. “Seriously. Don’t let him deflect or charm his way out of it. Just… make him be real. Make him see that he doesn’t have to be a martyr.”

“...I’ll think about it.” Yuuna sighed. She looked at Nikki curiously. “Do you really want your brother and I to… to get together? Aren’t you afraid I’d be taking him away?”

Nikki rolled her eyes. “Please do.” She smiled, albeit a little wistfully. “...Nii-chan’s happy, and it’s because of you. For the first time in a while, Yuuna. That’s supposed to be a good thing.”

Yuuna impulsively hugged Nikki. “Thanks, Nikki-chan. For what it’s worth… no matter how things go, you won’t ‘lose’ him to me. But I hope you’ll feel like you’ve gained a friend…?”

Nikki grinned, hugging Yuuna back. “I’d love that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some retcons as I realized that I'm using the same name for some side characters. My bad. There's certain names that I like for whatever reason...
> 
> So Seiji and Nikk's parents were James and Kyoko. They are now James and Sachiko.
> 
> And Director Sanada's given name has changed now from Akemi --> Akane --> Mizuki. My apologies. I really need to keep track/go through a different rotation of names. I did the same thing in GtD, where I accidentally gave some side characters the same names and had to change them before (hopefully) anyone noticed.
> 
> Speaking of the Director, she's somewhat inspired by Aurelia Le Guin of Trails of Cold Steel. 'Adrestia' is a certified badass, even more so in her mobile suit. Her swimsuit is pretty much what Aurelia wears at the Branch Campus' pool in ToCS 3, haha.
> 
> There's something oddly satisfying about writing beach/vacation chapters/stories. I think it's the epitome of author self-indulgence, probably. Beautiful weather, beautiful people *shrugs*
> 
> In ACE Academy, the one "sister meets girlfriend" moment we get is in Valerie's route. I didn't really want to go that way, here. Nikki expresses guilt at the start of this that Seiji moves to Japan with her. On top of that, she's arguably the more mature sibling/the one who takes care of HIM... so she wants him to be happy. And she can see that a certain team manager does that for him.


	7. Cotton Candy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Windshear is not the only popular gravity-membrane related sport in 2049. While the unique combination of racing, capture-the-flag, and mobile suit combat is certainly the most profitable in terms of advertising revenue and merchandise, the relatively high cost of entry with respect to money, training, and equipment make participation in Windshear difficult for most aspiring athletes. When it comes to sheer numbers of participants, Flying Circus, or FC, far outstrips Windshear._
> 
> _Windshear’s rules are actually based in part on FC. In FC, athletes fly by wearing grav shoes, which generate a personalized gravity membrane around the participant as well as brightly colored contrails to allow the audience to follow the action. Points are scored by racing around beacons hovering over a body of water, or by tagging their opponents’ back. In actual FC, this halts the tagged player’s momentum, leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks._
> 
> _In pick-up games, the setting can be changed to reduce the effect, or dramatically amplify it. After all, it’s all fun and games until your buddy sends you for a good dunking in the ocean._
> 
> _After that, it’s war._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The summer trip to Ibusuki concludes.
> 
> Sorry/not sorry for the liberal use of tropes and cliches. Those of you familiar with my other stories know I'm a sucker for certain things.
> 
> Definitions/etc:
> 
> Dianthus - Refers to _dianthus superbus_ , or the nadeshiko flower  
> Yamato nadeshiko - Somewhat idiomatic phrase referring to the epitome of feminine Japanese beauty  
> Nacchan/Dai-nii - Yuuna and Yuudai's nicknames for each other growing up. Both are Yuu-, so they called each other something different.  
> 'Vivez d’amour et d’eau fraiche' - French idiom, literally "Live on love and cool water", meaning is "Go be irresponsible and live on love alone"

August 1, 2049 (Sunday, Isokaze) 

It was an idyllic summer morning in Isokaze. A few mostly-empty buses started on their routes; the cafes and restaurants prepared for a relatively slow day at work. Isokaze was always quieter over the summer break. Many of the students were away on trips or visiting their families during the time off; even if they were in town, most of them slept in and enjoyed the break from ACE’s rigorous curriculum. But the distant roar of H-cell powered propulsion and clash of mobile suit combat was still audible in the summer lull - particularly towards the town’s outskirts, where Stryker International’s Japanese division was based.

As far as PARDA-affiliated manufacturers went, Stryker ranked second to Aludian in terms of overall productivity and research, but boasted the best training and testing facilities of any of the companies located around Isokaze. Sponsored squadrons and pilots worked on team tactics and individual skills; test pilots and engineers risked their reputations (and occasionally their lives) working on experimental technology. And this all took place on the vaunted ‘Proving Grounds’, a massive complex of hangars, labs, practice fields, and shooting ranges arranged around a monolithic control tower.

A crimson and gold mobile suit shot by the tower at the bare minimum safe distance, resulting in a few curses and spilled coffee. Today, Exceed was taking advantage of their sponsor’s facilities as the ACE Academy team began its summer training camp.

Sovereign landed on the ground some distance away from the control tower, abruptly stopping its flyby. In its split second pause, the suit bent its knees and then launched itself straight into the air, narrowly avoiding a shield throw and shotgun blast from two modified MI-18 Hornets. Instead of their usual loadout, each of the interceptors carried a short sword and round shield with a shoulder-mounted S-40 Piranha shotgun. Along with the reduced armor and increased speed, it was quite clear which mobile suit the Hornets were meant to mimic. The two suits landed on the ground just behind Sovereign before launching straight into the air. They rapidly caught up to the heavily-armed mobile suit; each of the pilots drew their short swords to engage in close combat with the powerful (but comparatively slower) mobile suit.

Suguo abruptly halted his climb, spinning Sovereign into a mid-air backflip. The two Hornets soared by, unable to halt their rapid ascent in time. Two scarlet energy beams lanced out from Sovereign’s rifle, instantly depowering the Hornets as they were shot in the back.

In the nearby control tower, the battle was being holo-projected over a large table that occupied the center of the room. Suguo’s helmeted face appeared on the side of the projection in the space reserved for team communications. His eyes were narrow, his brow furrowed.

“Again!” He snapped. “That was _way_ too easy! Can’t you two get this right _?_ _He_ would have dodged that!”

Hiroyuki Yamato’s image appeared alongside Suguo.

“Captain, we’re doing the best we can. I don’t know how Maki does it in Gladius, but if we tried to pull out of a climb as suddenly as you’re suggesting, the G-forces alone might knock us out. It’s our first day in these suits! We need time to adjust. And the other pilot isn’t a starter--”

“Your best isn’t good enough.” Suguo said, scornfully. “And tell your idiot partner that he’ll _never_ be a starter unless he does what I want him to--”

“That’s _enough_ , Suguo.” An older man with short, grizzled hair and a neatly trimmed beard approached the table, leaning on it with his gnarled hands. He sported a Stryker International jacket. “I think you’ve had enough of this drill. You’ve already been at it for two hours.”

“I’m not done!” Suguo glared at the screen.

The older man simply raised an eyebrow.

“...Sir.” Suguo added, after a moment. He continued, in a far more respectful tone. “It’s just frustrating, Coach Kamogawa. I can’t let that American trash luck out again, so I need to practice. But if my targets can’t even make a two-on-one challenging, then there isn’t any point!”

“Then you’ve definitely had enough, if it’s pointless.” Kamogawa replied coolly. “Takeda, Tanaka, take the field. Suguo, Yamato, Ide, get back to the hangar.”

Kamogawa killed the commlink before he could hear Suguo’s protest. Along with the best training facility, Stryker also boasted the most decorated war games coach in PARDA: Shinji Kamogawa, former ace pilot of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces before they were folded into the alliance’s military structure, and former PARDA Games champion. From this training camp onwards, the veteran pilot had been assigned as Exceed’s coach. Kamogawa had only been with the team since yesterday, but he already had a good idea of what he was dealing with - not only from the files and combat footage that some simpering suit in corporate had sent him, but also from his own assessments during yesterday’s practice.

Kamogawa had been brought in due to Exceed’s performance at ACE Academy’s Final Four. While most teams at ACE would be happy to make the last intramural tournament of the spring season, Stryker’s corporate division and Exceed’s faculty advisor had expected them to challenge - and possibly defeat - Reborn. A talented group of individuals like Exceed wasn’t supposed to lose to an upstart team like Velocity, especially when backed by the money and technology of Stryker. But, Kamogawa hadn’t been surprised in the slightest at Exceed’s ‘underperformance’.

To Kamogawa’s eye, Suguru Suguo was one of the better collegiate pilots he had encountered. He supposed it was only natural; Suguo was the son of Admiral Teijiro Suguo, the current head of PARDA’s military forces. The boy had grown up with access to the best schools, trainers, and mobile suits available for an aspiring pilot. Kamogawa grimaced as he watched Suguo finally quit the field, still berating his teammates. Skill wasn’t the issue with Suguo, of course - it was that his ego was disproportionately large. Even now, he couldn’t accept that luck had little to do with how he had been completely outmaneuvered by that American transfer student.

 _‘At least the cocky bastard doesn’t use his dad’s name to get what he wants.’_ Kamogawa thought, as he made some notes on Suguo’s performance in this last drill. That had been a pleasant surprise. If it weren’t for the fact that it was all over his file, Kamogawa would have guessed that the pilot didn’t _have_ any living family, with how little he talked about them.

Kyouko Takeda and Souta Tanaka took the field next. Takeda, in her MA-14 Hecate, took a position at the end of one of the Proving Grounds’ shooting ranges.

“Get warmed up, Takeda.” Kamogawa said, gesturing at the holo-projection.

“Roger.” The first-year pilot nodded as her face popped up on the commlink. A few stray locks of violet hair framed the green eyes behind her visor.

Multiple unmanned target drones flew into the air downrange from Hecate, about the distance of one Windshear lane. After a brief pause, they immediately shot towards Hecate at the same speed as a mobile suit attempting to close the distance to an enemy artillery/sniper unit. Hecate’s K-12 ‘Buster’ beam rifle fired almost immediately, technically outside the range specified by the manufacturer. The shot forced the drones to evade - right into Hecate’s follow-up blasts.

It was perfect, textbook shooting, and Takeda was acting like a consummate professional. But it didn’t feel like the girl’s natural style - when Kamogawa reviewed the footage of her sniper duel against Mayu Akemi, before Velocity used Artemis, Takeda seemed different. Her movements were faster; some of her shots were even rushed as she tunnel-visioned on Deep Sky, completely forgetting about her own teammates. Kamogawa smiled slightly to himself, deciding to confirm if there was something more to this than friendly competition.

“Good work, Takeda. You should think about switching to a rail cannon, like the marksman from Velocity--”

“What?! Never!--...” Takeda nearly squawked. After a moment, she coughed, speaking in her normal cool, collected tone. On the commlink she looked away, seemingly making some adjustments on Hecate’s HUD. “...I’m used to the feel of the K-12. And directed energy weapons get second shots off faster than a rail cannon. Sir.”

“Right. Carry on.” Kamogawa said, suppressing his chuckle. At least he had a sense on how to motivate Takeda. He glanced at the other part of the projection, turning his attention to Souta Tanaka as the second-year pilot let out an exhilarated yell. Souta’s MI-05 Duelist was taking on two Hornets piloted by two professional Windshear pilots. Not from one of Stryker’s top teams, but the pros were giving the skirmisher all he could handle despite being in mass-produced Hornets.

Tanaka was a good pilot in his own right, though not as talented as Sugou. Kamogawa nodded to himself as Duelist was depowered by an expertly executed pincer attack. Tanaka’s image appeared on the commlink alongside the two professionals as they reviewed how the collegiate pilot could improve.

 _‘But, Tanaka’s more willing to accept instruction,’_ Kamogawa thought. _‘And he might actually be smarter than Suguo…’_

The coach rolled his eyes as Suguo butted in with his own take on the skirmish, to which Tanaka nodded enthusiastically, immediately agreeing with and thanking his senpai.

 _‘...Which would actually count for something, if he wasn’t such a damned bootlick.’_ Kamogawa knew Tanaka’s type. A decent pilot, but one who knew his own limits… and had determined that the best way to overcome these limits was by riding someone else’s coattails. Though, the coach wasn’t sure Tanaka was a completely devoted lackey. The files provided by Stryker and the faculty advisor also listed any disciplinary actions taken against the team members by ACE Academy - Suguo and Tanaka had been listed several times. Suguo usually escaped anything beyond a slap of the wrist because of his name, but Tanaka seemed to avoid serious consequences through shrewdness - he frequently egged Suguo on, but was never involved enough to take the majority of the heat.

 _‘Need to keep an eye on him.’_ Kamogawa mused. He smiled sardonically as he added ‘RB’ on his private notes beside Tanaka’s name. His old shorthand for ‘rat bastard’. 

And that left the last starter, Hiroyuki Yamato, the pilot of Exceed’s MM-80 Peregrine. Kamogawa brought up video feed from the hangar where Yamato and the second-stringer, Ide, were debriefing. Their conversation wasn’t audible, but Yamato had his hand on Ide’s shoulder, and he was smiling reassuringly. Yamato stuck out in this group of individuals because he was the only one who was actually team-oriented. He was the last remaining starter from Exceed’s ‘pre-Suguo’ era, and the only one who even had a clue as to what Velocity had been trying to do in their fight during the Final Four Tournament.

Kamogawa glanced at the footage of Yamato and Ide’s sortie against Suguo. Yamato was an average-to-good pilot at best, but he had an excellent head for tactics and incredible ‘vision’. Even in high-stress situations, the second-year never became overly fixated on his objective; he always had a good sense on how the overall battle was going.

 _‘But Suguo only ever wants to use him as a scapegoat and punching bag.’_ Kamogawa groused. 

Exceed was going to be a challenge. They were talented individuals, but that was exactly the problem - they were _individuals_ , and had been taken down by a _team_ . The four starters barely spoke with each other outside of practice, with the exception of Suguo and Tanaka. But he didn’t have to get them to like each other. He had to get them to fight together, and _that_ was probably doable--

“You started without me!” Nobuyuki Saito huffed. Kamogawa rolled his eyes, turning around to see ACE Academy’s professor of history. Apparently the portly man had actually hustled to get to the control tower.

“You’re late.” Kamogawa said, simply. “And the team needs practice. I’m not going to waste time waiting around for an academic who wants to play at being a war games coach.”

“I’ll remind you, Kamogawa, that I’m Exceed’s faculty advisor.” Saito crossed his arms. “It would be a shame if I ‘advised’ them to seek out another sponsor.”

For a moment, Kamogawa found himself missing the frequent international skirmishes and conflicts before the founding of the PAC, EU, and PARDA. The academics and suits had little direct interest in mobile warfare. But now, with the glitz and glamour of Windshear, everyone wanted to be known as the architect of the next great team. It meant that the hard-bitten coach couldn’t kick the history professor out of the control tower, as much as he wanted to. If Saito made good on his threat to take Exceed to one of Stryker’s competitors, Kamogawa would likely be out of a job.

Kamogawa turned back to the table, waving a hand at Saito. “They’re about to start the next drill.” He said.

Saito took his place beside Kamogawa. He frowned on seeing only Duelist and Hecate on the field.

“Where’s Suguo-kun? I don’t see Sovereign.”

“Resupply and recharge.” Kamogawa replied. “He put Yamato and Ide through their paces earlier, and the three of them are taking a break.”

“Ah. Of course. Yamato _was_ responsible for the team’s loss to Velocity, after all.”

Kamogawa rolled his eyes. That was the narrative Suguo and Saito were pushing after the team had been taken apart by Velocity’s Artemis guidance system. “Debatable. Yamato’s doing fine. With a little time and training, we’ll get Exceed performing--”

“--Ah, that reminds me, Kamogawa. We don’t have much time before the fall season starts, do we?” Saito interrupted. “I was thinking of some ways to improve our team. I ran my ideas by Ito-san in corporate, and he agrees with me.”

Kamogawa eyed Saito warily. Based on the man’s cunning smile, someone wasn’t going to like Saito’s ‘thinking’. “And what do you and Ito-san suggest…?”

“Ah. Well…” Saito’s eyes lit on the footage of Yamato. Peregrine’s pilot was sharing a coffee with Ide. “I was thinking we need to be more _efficient_ in our use of training time. After all, with the tactics that Velocity used to _steal_ victory from us, who knows what other underhanded tactics they’re coming up with this summer?”

>>>

August 1, 2049 (Sunday, Ibusuki) 

“Ah! Crap!” Shou let out a startled yell as he splashed into the ocean. His grav shoes slowed him down enough to avoid injury, but certainly not enough to avoid a good dunking. He came to the surface, sputtering. “Seriously, Bro! You’ve gotta be cheating or something! How the heck did you dodge me?!”

Several meters in the air, Seiji grinned down at Shou. He had not only avoided Shou’s tag attempt with a mid-air backflip, but tagged Shou’s back as he passed over him - sending his best friend plummeting into the water. He shrugged. “Core strength, Shou. And good enough spatial awareness to not be lost without Gladius’ HUD and sensors--Uwah!?”

Seiji splashed into the water only a few metres away from Shou, leaving them _both_ sputtering. Seiji whirled, glaring up into the sky.

Kaori and Mayu grinned down at their teammates.

“What was that about awareness, Seiji?” Kaori laughed.

“I think you’ve spent more time in the water than you have the air, Shou-kun…” Mayu giggled.

Shou and Seiji exchanged glances. They grinned before exploding out of the water in unison towards their teammates, their grav shoes leaving respective neon blue and green contrails. Shrieking and laughing, Kaori and Mayu evaded, their own glowing red and violet trails interweaving and flowing around the boys’ as the high-flying game of tag continued. Viewed from the shoreline, the hectic interweaving of light trails truly illustrated why the term ‘furball’ was still sometimes used to describe air combat maneuvering.

Valerie looked up at Velocity’s pilots from the beach, grinning. “Damn, Yuu-chan. I had my doubts last night when you mentioned using part of this trip to train, but that looks like a lot of fun. How did you ever think of using FC grav shoes for training? ...Yuu-chan? Yuuna~!”

Yuuna startled, nearly dropping her iced coffee onto the beach blanket that she shared with Valerie. Velocity’s team manager had been preoccupied all morning. “Eh? Sorry, Valerie-chan. What was that?”

“I was wondering where you got the idea to use grav shoes for training?”

“Ah…” Yuuna smiled nostalgically. “My brother used to play FC in the off-season, after he got started in Windshear. Right around here, actually. I used to accuse him of doing it just so he could hit on girls at the beach.”

Valerie laughed. “Sounds like he was my kinda guy.”

Yuuna rolled her eyes. “He didn’t even try to deny that was one of the main reasons. But then he had me try it during a family trip to the beach… It takes a _lot_ of core strength to fly well using grav shoes. That kind of strength is really helpful in bracing for impact inside a mobile suit, even with the dampeners. And without your mobile suit’s NAI backing you up, you really have to work hard to stay oriented, especially when you’re facing the sky. This kind of training helps with spatial awareness.”

As if on cue, there was a yelp and loud splash as Shou attempted to fly inverted in order to keep his back out of reach from Kaori. The inverted flight had only lasted a few seconds before Asura’s pilot lost control and was dunked into the ocean for the umpteenth time.

Yuuna chuckled. “You can join them if you like, Valerie-chan. There’s a few extra pairs of grav shoes.”

Valerie nodded. “I’ll go if you go, Yuu-chan.”

Yuuna stared at Valerie, an annoyed pout forming on her fair face. Valerie raised her hands defensively, grinning.

“Oh, come on! You’re not still thinking about the little joke I played on you yesterday, are you? It’s not like it was all bad. I mean, it got you a little more attention from Captain America… ...Speaking of which, what are you going to do about him, anyway?” Valerie asked. After some gentle prodding, Yuuna had told the French girl what had happened between her and Seiji before yesterday’s brawl. “I can tell he’s been on your mind all morning.”

Yuuna frowned. “I… don’t know. His sister thinks I should ignore what he said and ‘shove it in his stupid face’.”

Valerie’s eyes went to Yuuna’s chest. Velocity’s manager was wearing a sundress over her bikini, but the flowy white garment was still quite flattering. “I think you tried that yesterday, didn’t you?”

Yuuna rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “Don’t be an idiot.”

“Haha. Sorry.” Valerie grinned. “But, really. You’re not just going to leave things like this, are you? You’re both _painfully_ into each other. He couldn’t take his eyes off you when you came downstairs in that dress!”

“I’m not sure what I want to do about it.” Yuuna sighed. “I don’t want to make things difficult or awkward for the team. It’s our last day here, and it’s not like we’re going to have much more time alone together to talk about it. We’ve got lunch and the team meeting, sightseeing and maybe more training, and then everyone wants to go to that festival together…”

It was Valerie’s turn to roll her eyes. “Right. Summer festival, going as a group of friends. Couldn’t _possibly_ imagine how the two of you might be able to catch a moment alone there. There’s _no way_ events might conspire to put you two in a _ridiculously romantic_ situation. With fireworks. Both literal and figurative.”

Yuuna raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t an anime, Valerie-chan.”

“Four college students and four high school kids are flying around on anti-gravity shoes over the ocean right in front of us, Yuu-chan. Four of them pilot mecha. And we’re also having a beach episode. Soon to be a festival episode, too.” Valerie paused, watching Seiji breach the surface of the water after being tagged out of the air by Nikki, who had entered the fray alongside her friends. Gladius’ pilot was laughing, he walked to waist deep water as he swept his hair out of his eyes. His skin glistened; rivulets of water streamed off of him, highlighting his fit figure. He turned to watch Ken, Nikki’s male friend (and probably almost-boyfriend) perform the sustained inverted flight that Shou had attempted. Seiji’s expression lit up; he flagged Ken down, speaking with him enthusiastically.

Valerie smiled slyly, subtly angling her tablet towards the two good-looking boys. “There’s even fanservice.”

“Hmph.” Yuuna eyed Valerie suspiciously. “You’ve been working on that thing all morning, Valerie-chan. What’s on it?”

Valerie grinned shamelessly. “What do you think?”

The first-year engineering student gestured over her tablet, turning on the holo-projection function. Multiple windows hovered in the air, showing footage and still captures of Seiji, _sans_ shirt.

“Seriously!?” Yuuna didn’t get a chance to glare at Valerie. The blonde waved again; the footage shifted to include all four members of Velocity, with particular focus on how they each flew while wearing grav shoes. In addition to this, Valerie had taken notes on each pilot. “...Oh. Wow, Valerie-chan, this is…”

“I noticed they use grav shoes the same way they tend to pilot their mobile suits. Though, without the assistance of the NAI, it’s actually easier to see their individual quirks. I think I can add this to their combat data and tune their machines a little better.” Valerie nodded, her sleazy grin shifting instead to a bright, enthusiastic smile. “It’s really interesting. Shou’s reaction time and overall speed are probably the best of the bunch, but he gets disoriented pretty easily when he isn’t upright. Mayu’s what you’d expect, from the team marksman. Not that fast, but her sense of distance and ability to anticipate are impressive. Kaori is excellent all-around. And Seiji… Well. It’s weird. He isn’t as fast as Shou, and he isn’t visibly better than Kaori. But of all of them, he…”

Valerie frowned, trying to put words to it.

“...looks like he belongs up there.” Yuuna finished, speaking with no small amount of warmth in her voice. “Like _that’s_ the real Seiji Maki.”

Valerie smirked. Her teasing remark faded on seeing Yuuna’s soft smile as she watched Seiji in flight, his glowing green contrails creating increasingly complex patterns across the firmament. The manager had little trouble marking his path despite his blazing speed; her eyes followed his distant figure perfectly.

Valerie chuckled. “Heh. Yeah, Yuu-chan. Couldn’t have put it better myself.”

>>>

“Hey, guys! Hope you worked up an appetite!” Kaito waved from the front porch of the villa as everyone returned for lunch.

Nikki blinked. “Huh? Uncle Kaito, did you do all the cooking already? Didn’t I tell you that you could wait for us to get back? It’s a lot of work to cook for this many people, and you’ve already done so much for us…”

“Yeah,” Seiji agreed. He paused, thinking to the occasions where Kaito had tried to cook for the three of them rather than order in. His uncle wasn’t much better in the kitchen than he was. “And no offense, but…”

Nikki sniffed the air. “I think we’re okay, Nii-chan. I don’t smell any smoke, and the villa isn’t on fire…”

“Oh, come on!” Kaito protested, laughing. “I’ve really improved. And uh…”

Seiji raised an eyebrow as the older man rubbed the back of his neck, glancing off to the side. For a brief moment, Kaito looked embarrassed. _Happy_ and embarrassed. The front door to the villa opened, revealing Yuki Hikari in an apron. Velocity’s faculty advisor beamed at the group, waving them in with a wooden spoon.

“He had help!” Yuki said, brightly.

Seiji and Nikki exchanged glances.

“Oh, _really_.” Nikki said, a sly grin on her face.

“Nice of you to come by to help with _lunch_ , Aunt Yuki.” Seiji added, with an equally crooked smile. “Especially since you weren’t even supposed to be here this weekend. What happened to hanging out with the Director?”

“She… She had a conference call.” Yuki coughed, trying in vain to hide her blush. “And I’m Velocity’s faculty advisor, aren’t I?”

“Uh huh.” Seiji and Nikki both said, still grinning.

“Just… get your butts to the table!” Yuki laughed in spite of herself.

The group shared a lively meal in the backyard of the villa. After everyone had enough to eat, Nikki and her friends excused themselves while Velocity gathered around the picnic table for their team meeting.

“So, I hope you’ve all had a chance to decompress a little from the Final Four Tournament and exams!” Yuki smiled. “I know it was a hard loss to Reborn, but you all should be proud of yourselves. I certainly am. You’ve done incredibly well for a new team, and should think about how you’re going to build off this success in the fall. Yuuna? You have our agenda, don’t you?”

“Yes!” Yuuna produced her tablet; it projected a calendar for the fall season over the picnic table. “The fall Windshear schedule is already out. Our first game is going to be against Onna Bugeisha, the team that lost to Reborn before we took them on in the finals.”

“Oh, right!” Shou said. “That’s Mei Satomi’s team! They’re melee-focused, so we’re really going to have to lean on Kaori--”

“--Before we get too focused on individual matchups, we should focus on overall goals for the season.” Kaori interrupted. She looked at Seiji. “Are you familiar with how the fall season’s different from the spring?”

Seiji nodded; while he could be a bit lackadaisical about his classes, he did his homework when it came to Windshear. “It’s a longer season than the spring, and we’ll be playing every other team once. No ‘final four’ tournament to determine who goes on to the Winter Cup Nationals. This time, it’s just the team with the best record.”

“Right. That’s fifteen games in total… And we’re a small team with no alternates and only four mobile suits.” Yuuna paused; she smiled brightly. “But Dasshu was really impressed with how we did! I’m happy to report that they’re going to increase their sponsorship commitment to Velocity. In exchange, they just want us to be involved in some promotional events throughout the year. So we should be covered for any repairs and equipment we’ll need, even over a longer season.”

Valerie grinned, winking at Yuuna. “Don’t forget about your engineer, Yuu-chan. My turn?” The blonde nodded at the projected calendar.

“Ah, right. Go ahead, Valerie-chan.” Yuuna handed the first-year the tablet. The projected image shifted to some of the footage and notes that Valerie had shown Yuuna at the beach earlier.

“In the spring, I didn’t have a lot of time to make real improvements to your suits. It was hard enough getting to know all _eight_ members of the team - you pilots and your suits - while keeping up with repairs. Not to mention the work I had to do to bring Gladius’ specs in line with the Japanese collegiate standard. With how much time that took, it’s a miracle I had Artemis up and running for the game against Exceed. No offense, Seiji.” Valerie shrugged, smiling at the American.

“None taken.” Seiji chuckled. “You were right. My frame really did need a woman’s touch.”

“Mm. Still does.” Valerie said, looking pointedly at Yuuna.

Yuuna coughed loudly. “ _Anyway_. If you’ll look at Valerie’s notes, she’s already started coming up with ideas to improve each of your mobile suits. When we get back to Isokaze, we’ll be running through some trials in the simulator before we start working on them for real. Of course, each of the pilots will need to come in both individually and as a team. I’ve worked out a schedule…”

The team meeting continued as Velocity worked out a schedule for mobile suit upgrades, team and individual skills practices, and physical training. Before they adjourned for sightseeing and souvenir shopping around the resort town, Yuki spoke up again.

“Just like our meeting at the start of the spring season, we should talk about goals for the fall. I take it nothing has changed from a team perspective?”

Kaori nodded. “We’re going to win.”

“Our goal isn’t beating Exceed or Reborn…” Shou grinned. “We’re in it to win it, Doc. Winter Cup or bust!”

Mayu nodded firmly.

“Good.” Yuki said. “Then, now that you all know each other fairly well, it’s a good time to talk about individual goals - what do you each want to accomplish not only thorough Windshear, but at ACE? You’re all great at supporting each other on the field. Why not apply that teamwork to your personal goals as well? Who wants to start us off?”

Valerie flashed her usual winning grin. “I’m aiming for the top of aerospace engineering, Doc. I’m not sure if I want to go academic or work for a private company in the EU, but I think my first step is winning a Garnier.”

Shou blinked. “Uh… isn’t that a kind of shampoo?”

“It is.” Valerie laughed. “But it’s also the name of a famous French engineer, Marie Garnier. She came up with the concept for the gravity membrane when she was still a student. The Garnier Prize is awarded to the best paper submitted by an undergraduate engineer. If you guys want to help with _my_ idea, just be on time for your simulator sessions. The more combat data I can get from you all, the better.”

“What _is_ your idea?” Kaori asked, curiously. “And why would you need our combat data?”

“Top secret, Captain.” Valerie winked. “So, what does the best skirmisher at ACE want to do with her life?”

“I’m going pro.” Kaori said, without even a hint of hesitation. “It’s what I’ve aimed for since I was a little girl. If you all want to help… Well. All you have to do is fight as hard as you can in every match we have.”

The team chuckled - a bit nervously, especially with the fierce glint in the redhead’s eyes. Kaori looked at Mayu. “What about you, Mayu? With the way you shoot, you’d do well in professional Windshear.”

“Hm…” Mayu stirred her ice tea idly with her straw. “I’m not sure, Kaori. Shooting is just something I’ve done for a while. I don’t know if I love it enough to turn it into a Windshear career.”

Shou laughed. “Says the girl who learned how to shoot _outside_ a mobile suit as well! You cleaned up at every marksmanship competition you entered growing up, Mayu. Even when they started letting you compete against adults!”

“It does seem like a waste to not use that talent.” Seiji said. “What about a military career? Or law enforcement?”

Mayu frowned. She glanced around the table, blushing faintly as she considered her friends. “...I… think I want to write, actually.”

Valerie blinked. “Seriously? You mean, like books?”

Mayu nodded earnest. “...Yes. But, don’t worry. I plan to keep piloting and working on my skills. They say you should write what you know, and being a mobile suit pilot really opens up opportunities to see the world. I’ll probably look at joining the military after graduation.”

Shou nodded. “Well, I’m gonna be like Kaori and shoot for professional Windshear.” He grinned at Mayu. “I mean, it’ll be tough if you’re traveling a lot, Mayu, but _one_ of us is going to have to make the big bucks, right--”

Mayu’s eyes widened. Her cheeks turned red. “ _Shou-kun!_ ”

Shou’s jaw gaped. “Er… That is…”

Valerie arched an eyebrow. She smirked. “‘One of us’? And _what_ exactly is going to be tough if Mayu-Mayu’s traveling a lot, hm…?”

“I...I uh…” Shou stammered, trying to think of an excuse as his friends and teammates started grinning at him and Mayu knowingly. The two _had_ disappeared towards the end of the day yesterday, after all. And Shou had made a beeline for the seat beside Mayu at lunch. But apparently, the two of them had meant to keep their relationship status on the down-low. Shou continued searching for an excuse without saying anything that might hurt Mayu’s feelings. “I meant to say… ... Oh!”

Mayu, still blushing furiously, solved his problem. She squeezed his hand gently where it had been resting on the top of the picnic table. Despite the wolf-whistles from Seiji and Valerie (and the subsequent smacks upside the heads by Kaori), Mayu didn’t let go.

“Ah… Anyway…” Yuuna spoke up mercifully to prevent Valerie pressing Mayu for details. “I’m planning to go on to ACE’s medical program after we graduate. It’s hard to get in, but being Velocity’s manager will look good on the application. And Hikari-sensei’s been a huge help by letting me volunteer at the campus clinic.”

“I’m happy to have you, Yuuna-chan. And for the record, I think you’ll make a great doctor.” Yuki smiled enthusiastically. “And that just leaves Seiji-chan. Though, I’m betting nothing’s changed since you were little?”

Seiji smiled warmly; nostalgically. A far cry from his usual cocky or flirtatious grin. “You’re mostly right, Aunt Yuki. I’m still aiming for a career in PARDA’s military. Though for me, it’s space or bust.”

“Bro, seriously? Getting into the military isn’t a big deal if you’re already in ACE, but getting assigned to an interplanetary squadron is actually harder than becoming a Windshear pro!” Shou said. “And the pay isn’t that much better than being planetside.”

“...And it’s _much_ more dangerous.” Yuuna frowned.

“I’ve got my reasons.” Seiji shrugged. “In any case, that pretty much puts me in the same boat as Kaori and Shou. If I want a shot at space, then Velocity needs to kick some serious ass.”

“You can count on us, bro.” Shou grinned. “Velocity’s gonna get off to a _quick_ start in the fall.”

Yuki chuckled at the subsequent groans from the team. “Well. I think that’s a good note to end on. You’re all sightseeing now, right? Make sure to drop by the villa before you all head out to the festival. I’ll have a little surprise ready for everyone.”

>>>

“It’s a bit weird, isn’t it? That your aunt said she had a surprise for everyone, but then kicked the boys out almost the second we got back?” Ken asked, as the boys waited at the entrance to Ibusuki’s temple grounds at the center of the festival.

“A little.” Seiji said. He, Kaito, Shou, and Ken had all but been shoved out the door by Yuki mere moments after arriving back at the villa after a day of sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Barely enough time to even drop their bags off. “Though, I remember that she likes to play pranks on people.”

“We’re probably the victims tonight.” Kaito muttered.

“Victims? C’mon, Hikari-sensei’s pretty nice. Her pranks can’t be _that_ bad…” Shou started to say. He paused, worried by Kaito’s suddenly grave expression. “...Can they?”

Kaito just shrugged as he broke into a wide grin. “Guess you’ll find out, Shou-kun!”

Seiji chuckled. He looked upwards in fascination; the waning daylight was already giving way to the warm glow of hundreds of paper lanterns hanging from the ropes that criss-crossed the streets. “Which festival is this, Uncle Kaito?”

“It’s part of Kagoshima prefecture’s _Rokugatsudo_ festivals, Seiji.” Kaito nodded at the lanterns. “Each temple or shrine that celebrates it will dedicate their festival to their patron deity, but the lanterns are there no matter where you go in Kagoshima. Ibusuki doesn’t have the biggest one, but it’s considered the most beautiful.”

“Heh. Yeah. Isokaze doesn’t have this many lanterns up, usually.” Ken said.

“You might say Isokaze doesn’t _hold a candle_ to Ibusuki, then.” Shou grinned. He frowned at Seiji’s lack of response. He elbowed the blonde. “Bro? Hey, cat got your tongue?”

Seiji shook his head, nodding at a group of people approaching them. “...I think Aunt Yuki meant what she said when she said it was a surprise for _everyone_.”

The girls arrived, dressed up in yukata for the festival. Aunt Yuki walked up to a dumbfounded Kaito, giving her estranged husband a little twirl in her butterfly patterned outfit, complete with matching hairpin.

“Well? Surprised?” She grinned, looking less like Velocity’s faculty advisor and more like one of their classmates.

Kaito was dumbfounded. Yuki was _really_ pulling it off. The middle-aged man actually _blushed_. “Er… ...Uh… Yeah.”

Yuki giggled. She lightly poked Kaito’s nose. “That’s exactly the reaction I was going for.”

Mayu bit her lip, carefully studying her sandals while Shou openly gawked at her in her iris-patterned indigo yukata. “S...Shou-kun. Do you have to _stare_ …?”

“He kinda does! Oops.” Valerie said cheerfully, accidentally-on-purpose bumping Deep Sky’s pilot towards Shou. After two startled yells, the two of them eventually settled on Mayu holding onto her new boyfriend’s elbow while glaring at Velocity’s engineer.

Valerie innocently adjusted her yellow and white outfit. “Sorry~ <3” She winked at Seiji. “So, Captain Rogers? How do I look?”

“Hm? Ah, great. Great…” Seiji said, craning his neck. Despite his attempt yesterday to put his feelings for Yuuna to rest, he was still eager to see her in her yukata.

Valerie smirked. “Heh. It’s all over your face, Seiji. She’s right behind me.” She turned, blinking as she saw only Kaori. “Ah… at least she _was_ …”

Kaori rolled her eyes; the redhead reached behind a takoyaki stall, hauling out Velocity’s manager.

Yesterday at the beach, Yuuna in her swimsuit had stunned the entire group into silence. Right now though, Seiji had no idea how everyone else was reacting; nor did he care. The American wasn’t the sort to stammer and flounder in front of a pretty girl. But ‘pretty’ really didn’t seem to cover it tonight.

The sight of Yuuna in her light pink yukata, with her magenta hair in an elegant up-do and decorated with a dianthus blossom to match the ones that patterned her outfit, tugged at his heartstrings in a way he hadn’t felt since…

He shook his head slowly. Since _ever_. Yuuna’s blush deepened as Seiji continued to stare. That didn’t help his current tongue-tied state. He was left with only two thoughts.

First, a memory of his mother explaining the term _‘yamato nadeshiko’_ to him, and how she would have been highly amused at Seiji’s reaction to a girl who was quite appropriately adorned with the same flowers.

And secondly, that things couldn’t possibly get more cliche than this. Which was a good thing, because he was trying to put some distance between himself and Yuuna. He had successfully spent the day avoiding being alone with her, but right now he felt his resolve crumbling—

“M… Maki-san. You’re staring. This… this doesn’t look weird, does it?” Yuuna asked, peering up at him through her long lashes.

 _‘Ah. Damn…’_ Seiji thought. So much for not getting more cliche. He smiled ruefully. “No. Not weird… Aunt Yuki, you did an amazing… Aunt Yuki?”

Seiji blinked. His family was gone, along with Nikki’s friends. Shou grinned at him.

“Your aunt and uncle are already enjoying the festival, Bro. And your sister’s friends were pretty disappointed that you didn’t even _glance_ at them before your sister led them away.”

Seiji chuckled and shrugged. “I guess we should all walk around too, then?”

“I don’t know, Seiji. Six is a pretty big group in a crowd like this.” Valerie said, innocently. “We should—“

“—take it as an opportunity for some team bonding.” Seiji smiled tightly at Valerie, as if to say _‘I know what you’re doing.’_

Valerie’s innocent expression dissolved into an irritated eye roll, as if to say _‘I know you know. That’s the point.’_

Kaori either didn’t notice or ignored the exchange. Instead, she looked eagerly at the food stalls. “Come on, guys. Let’s get something to eat. I’m starving. We can figure out who’s going where after.”

Before Velocity’s captain could take a step, they were interrupted by a cheerful shout.

“Kaori!?!”

The group turned to see a familiar face approaching - Mei Satomi, the captain of Onna Bugeisha. The girl waved eagerly, the sleeve of her turquoise yukata flapping in the air. She bounded up to Kaori with a brilliant smile. 

“I _thought_ it was you! But I can’t believe you’re wearing a yukata!” Mei said. “Red really suits you, like usual. Are you going to walk around? Maybe I could--”

“Come on, Mayu.” Kaori huffed, turning on her heel. Mayu stumbled as Kaori snatched her wrist, dragging her in a direct beeline away from Mei. Valerie cocked her head curiously at Kaori for a moment before slowly smirking at Yuuna.

“Remember what I said earlier about events conspiring?”

Yuuna’s eyes widened. “Valerie-chan! You…!”

“ _Vivez d’amour et d’eau fraiche,_ Yuu-chan~” Valerie winked, before giving Shou and Mei a meaningful look. “Kaori, wait up!”

“Heh. Looks like I’m going that way, Bro. And Valerie just reminded me. Remember what _you_ said, last month? It’s pretty related to the current situation.” Shou asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The hell are you talking about…” Seiji blinked. “...Oh. _That_.”

_‘Tell you what, Shou. I’ll ask Misaki-san out when you ask Mayu out. Deal?’_

“Yep!” Shou grinned. He turned, waving a hand over his shoulder as he caught up to Mayu, Valerie, and Kaori.

Seiji sighed, looking at Mei and Yuuna. “...Well. That was sudden.”

Mei shrugged, still smiling cheerfully despite Kaori’s rejection. “That’s pretty much what I’ve come to expect from Kaori, though. I’m surprised your friends just left you two, though…” Mei’s green eyes widened; she gasped. “Oh! I’m _so_ sorry. I’m really the third wheel now, aren’t I?”

Yuuna waved her hands frantically. “N-no! You aren’t! In fact, we…”

“It’s fine, Satomi-san. We should…” Seiji started to say.

Mei continued, shaking her head. “I’m not about to intrude on a _date_. I’m actually supposed to meet a few friends as well. Have fun, you two!”

Mei disappeared into the crowd before Seiji or Yuuna could deny that it was a date. Seiji sighed. He stole another glance at Yuuna; she was looking everywhere _but_ him. That was fair - she wasn’t stupid. She probably noticed how he had been avoiding her, how he really had pulled back on the self-indulgent flirting and teasing. He had to be completely clear about how things had to be moving forward - how he couldn’t be the partner she deserved, no matter how he felt about her. As long as he had his dream of flying, as long as he had to look out for Nikki, it wouldn’t be fair to Yuuna.

Seiji sighed, closing his eyes momentarily to rub his face. “Look, Yuuna. We…”

He trailed off. And for good reason. She took hold of his elbow, her face red, her eyes downcast.

“It’s… It’s been a while since I’ve worn a yukata and geta, Maki-san. So it’s a little hard to walk.” Yuuna said, still not meeting Seiji’s eyes. “Is this… is this okay? Just until I get used to it.”

“Yeah…” Seiji said. He bit his lip. This couldn’t go on further. “It’s fine. Just…”

Yuuna squared her shoulders; she started walking towards the festival stalls. “I don’t know about you, Maki-san, but I’m not really hungry yet. Why don’t we start with some of the games?”

Seiji blinked, taking a moment to study Yuuna in profile. Her clear blue eyes were sharp; she looked suddenly determined. Like she knew what he was going to say… and simply didn’t care to hear it. Not right now.

He smiled softly.

_‘Your win again, Yuuna. For now.’_

“...Sounds good, Yuuna.”

>>>

“Here, kiddo.” Seiji knelt in front of a little girl, who was half-hiding behind her mother’s leg. He held out the little plastic bag with the goldfish that he and Yuuna had won at the goldfish scooping stall earlier in the evening.

The girl peeked out; her eyes lit up at the colorful fish. She looked up at her mother.

The kindly-looking woman smiled, nudging her daughter forward with her knee. Her arms were occupied by the little girl’s infant brother, who was fast asleep. “Go on, Hana-chan. But what do you say?”

Hana took the bag from Seiji. She smiled brightly at him. “Thank you, onii-san!”

“You’re welcome.” Seiji grinned. “In return, just make sure you help your parents look after your little brother.”

Hana nodded earnestly. Yuuna stifled a giggle - it was adorable. Both the girl, and how Seiji was around children. It was amazingly sweet.

Seiji started to stand.

“Ah… Can… Can I touch your hair!?” Hana blurted out.

Yuuna blinked. That was… a little _less_ cute. _‘I am_ **_not_ ** _jealous of a six-year old. I am_ **_not_ ** _jealous of a six year old…’_

The girl’s mother boggled. “ _Hana-chan_!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine!” Seiji laughed, kneeling back down as Hana reached up.

She giggled. “It’s so _soft_! Is all blonde hair like this?”

“I’m not sure.” Seiji said, thoughtfully. “If you see my sister, feel free to ask her. In fact, just go right up and touch her hair, mess it up _really_ good--”

“Maki-san…” Yuuna shook her head, smiling. “I’m not sure Nikki-chan would appreciate that. And I’m pretty sure she’d know who sent this adorable little hair-assassin after her.”

“Mm. Fair point.” Seiji said, standing. He waved as the little family headed off. He sighed, looking down the line of stalls. “I think we’ve almost covered everything, Yuuna.”

“Almost.” Yuuna nodded, biting her lip. She knew what Seiji was going to say, before she took hold of his elbow. She really had no trouble getting around in her outfit. She just really didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. Even though she still wasn’t sure if she was going to follow through on Nikki’s advice to ‘shove [her feelings] in his stupid face’, hearing him bring things to a close had a feeling of finality that she simply wasn’t ready for.

She wasn’t sure if she’d _ever_ be ready for it. And so she stalled. They visited every stall they could; played every game they could. They gave away the fish because their hands were already full - Seiji held a bag of cotton candy and an oddly adorable, pink, and nearly body-pillow sized flying fish plush. Yuuna won it with the unusual technique of _spiking_ the baseball into the stacked milk bottles with enough force to shatter the two lower bottles. The prize was easily one of the biggest ones available in any of the stalls and drew the most looks… but it was the little Pango piggy bank in Yuuna’s hands that was, in her opinion, the most precious.

Seiji had helped her win it at the shooting gallery. Yuuna’s cheeks still felt warm from the memory:

 _‘Ah! How did I miss again? This must be rigged--...M-m-maki-san?!’_ Yuna had nearly dropped the rifle as Seiji moved behind her. His arms steadied hers; he was essentially embracing her. His breath tickled her ear.

_‘I’m not as good as Mayu, but I can help. The sights on these things never line up with wear the shot actually goes. But we’re lucky. This rifle always shoots too far to the left. So…’_

He adjusted her aim fractionally.

_‘Try that.’_

The cork flew from the rifle, striking the Pango piggy bank - it rocked back and forth, just starting to tip onto its rounded side… and then it tumbled from the shelf.

_‘We did it!’_

_‘Sure did, Yuuna. Nice shot.’_

Seiji’s voice brought her back to the present.

“I think all that’s left are the fireworks, Yuuna.”

“Mm.” Yuuna nodded. All good things had to come to an end. Seiji had to know what she was doing, by dragging him around to the stalls and games, not letting him get a moment to have a conversation with her beyond the superficial. It was stupid; it wasn’t like not letting him speak his piece would close the door. He had been pretty clear yesterday.

_‘...But I can’t be yours. Not completely.’_

At least, right up until the end.

_‘I knew you were a strong person, Yuuna. But you… You’re really incredible, aren’t you? ...What am I going to do with you…?’_

He had this little smile, something between affection and resignation. Just what was she supposed to do with that?

Her stomach tied itself into knots as they walked in silence to find a spot to watch the fireworks. Eventually, they found a little clearing in the temple grounds, situated on a small hill. Seiji put the flying fish plushy down on a nearby bench before leaning on the guard rail facing the town’s harbour. Yuuna put the Pango bank down on the bench as well before joining Seiji. Despite her anxiety, Yuuna found the view breathtaking. Above them, the inky sky sparkled with stars. Below them, the warm glow from the paper lanterns created a soft nimbus over the town. She glanced at Seiji, wondering if there was anything like this where he was from.

Her question faded away from her lips as she studied him in profile.

He was staring up at the sky with almost childlike fascination and eagerness; like he couldn’t wait to get into Gladius, a plane, or even a pair of grav shoes. Anything that could fly… Yuuna closed her eyes in recollection.

_‘I’m going to go there again, Nacchan. Just wait and see. Flying in atmo… It’s nothing like Zero-G. It’s where I belong…’_

“...Beyond the sky, into the firmament…” Yuuna murmured.

“I’m sorry?” Seiji turned to look at Yuuna.

Yuuna shook her head. “Something Yuudai used to say. He went to PARDA’s zero-g course during his third year summer break, the one that takes place up at the old International Space Station. When he came back, he was quoting that firmament line out of some poem.”

She laughed softly. “Yuudai was even memorizing _poetry_ despite barely passing Japanese class in high school. Even before he went to the ISS, he wanted to be a zero-g pilot, like you. After he came back… it was like he was head over heels in love. All he wanted to do was go back there. So he threw himself into Windshear and his classes…”

Yuuna trailed off. It had been some time since her brother died, but with how close they were, the hurt was still fresh. She wiped at her eyes, startling when she felt Seiji squeeze her other hand resting on the guard rail. He smiled at her - that gentle, soft smile she liked to believe he reserved for her.

“I would have loved to meet him, Yuuna.”

“Like I said, he would have liked you.” Yuuna said. She bit her lip, working up her courage. “Except for one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“...Any time he thought I was interested in a boy, he gave him a hard time.” Yuuna said. She turned towards Seiji; she bit back a small gasp as she realized how close they were. Her obi felt tight; the yukata that Yuki had said would be sure to ‘captivate Seiji-chan’ suddenly felt restrictive. 

“Yuuna…” Seiji shook his head. His smile was sad, his eyes gentle. “You know how I feel about you. But we can’t do this. A girl like you… a person like you deserves a partner who’s going to be there. Not some cocky flyboy who wants to go to space. Especially not one who has a sister to take care of. It wasn’t fair to Elise, and it isn’t fair to you. So…”

Yuuna bit her lip, barely listening to him as he continued to go on in that gentle tone. As he tried to let her down easily. Normally she loved the sound of his voice; the soft expressions he didn’t show anyone else. But right now, her hands were tightening on the guard rail. Right now, her shoulders were tightening up.

_‘Figure out what you want, and then shove it in his stupid face.’_

“I’m not Elise!” Yuuna snapped.

He blinked. “I’m sorry?”

Yuuna let go of the rail, her hands balled up at her hips. “I said, I’m _not_ _Elise_. I’m not your ex! What worked or didn’t work for her won’t necessarily be the same for me, will it?!”

“Yuuna, I know. But like I said, it isn’t fair—“

“I’m tired of people trying to decide things for me! Suguo tried to force me to be with him. The administrators that tried to make me leave ACE. I won’t have it! Not from them, and especially not from you!”

Despite Yuuna’s sharp tone, she felt like her heart was going to burst. This was mortifying. The shocked expression on Seiji’s face almost made her stop. But the words tumbled out of her despite her burning face.

“You don’t get to decide what’s fair for me. You said that your ex had to ‘share you with the sky’, and that you drifted apart when you had to take care of your sister.” Yuuna paused, taking a breath. The courage from her temporary outrage faded as she considered what she really wanted to say; what she really felt. “Maki-san… Seiji… I love… I love the way you look after your family. I love the way you look when you fly, like it’s the place where you really belong.”

Her voice started to tremble; she clasped her hands in front of her in an effort to stop them from shaking. “Every time I see you do it, I fall for you just a little more… so… so what am I supposed to do? Even if you put distance between us… even if I quit being Velocity’s manager, I’d still feel the same. I want to see your expression when you reach the firmament. I… I don’t think it’s sharing you with the sky. I think it’s sharing everything you love… The sky, your family… with _you_. I want to be by your side.”

Yuuna looked at Seiji uncertainly.The blonde seemed to be dumbfounded at her outburst; his hazel eyes were wide, his jaw slightly agape. Velocity’s team manager soon felt torn between two impulses: her desire to throw her arms around him, and her desire to throw herself into the nearest bush to hide from him. As Seiji continued to stand in silence, Yuuna edged closer and closer to the second option. Thankfully, the universe (and the festival fireworks technicians) saw fit to break the stalemate.

The night sky exploded into color with starbursts and rockets, replacing the warm glow of the paper lanterns below them with brilliant reds, blues, and greens.

Seiji smiled. It was, Yuuna realized, like the one yesterday before Nikki shouted for help. But this time, the hint of bitterness and resignation seemed to give way to warmth… And even though he said the same thing as he did yesterday, the subtle note in his baritone made all the difference. The knots in her stomach shifted to fluttering in her chest, a tension of anticipation. The feeling of _almost_ before _inevitable._ Her breath caught as he finally let go of the guard rail and turned to face her.

He shook his head slowly. “...Just what am I going to do with you…?”

Her breath caught as he reached for her, gently brushing back a stray lock of her hair. She caught his hand, leaning her cheek against his palm, letting her eyes close.

“...Love me, Seiji. Just… love me.”

“Ah… Well. There’s a problem, Yuuna.”

Yuuna’s eyes opened. Not at what he said, but at how _close_ he sounded, now. She gasped lightly as his arms slipped around her waist. This was what she wanted; what she had hoped for. But the reality of it was almost overwhelming. She rested her palms on his chest, looking up at him with wide eyes.

He spoke softly as he leaned in, the scant few centimetres between them disappearing.

“You see… I started doing that a long time ago.”

Yuuna’s eyes drifted closed again as she tilted her chin up. “Then… I suppose you’ll have to do something… else…?”

“Yeah…”

For some reason, Yuuna always thought that the first kiss - _her_ first kiss - would go by in a rush of hormones and awkward embarrassment. After all, how was something like this supposed to be good on the first try? She always assumed it would be over before she could really take note of what was happening.

But this… in this moment, time seemed to slow down. She was able to take note of the way his lips - softer than she imagined they would be - gently pressed against her own. Once… twice. Again. Was this still the same kiss? Still the first? Or was it the third? The question faded from her mind as the strength left her legs, turning her into a willing captive against his body, in his arms.

The roar of the fireworks above them faded, replaced by the thudding of her pulse… or his. She couldn’t tell anymore. He deepened the kiss; Yuuna tensed momentarily, her eyes opening in surprise as he parted her lips with his own. But only for a moment. The way he explored her, claimed her with gentle insistence made her melt against him, made her close her eyes as soft moans escaped her, only to be caught in his mouth.

When they parted, Yuuna clung to Seiji, unwilling to trust her legs just yet. She realized, with a certain giddy hyperawareness, that her first kiss tasted like cotton candy. Something sweet made sweeter still.

Yuuna rested her head against his chest. She could hear the thudding of his heart, far faster than usual. “I… ...Wow.”

“Heh. Yeah… So… what now?”

She smiled, shaking her head. For once, the incorrigible flirt sounded as breathless and flustered as she was. This was uncharted territory for Yuuna, so she settled on stating the obvious. “So… now I have a boyfriend...”

“Oh, hey. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, right? It was just one kiss.”

Yuuna blinked. She pulled back, staring up at Seiji incredulously.

He grinned at her. The usual cocky, snarky, Cheshire cat grin he had when he thought he was making a great joke. Yuuna rolled her eyes. She threw her arms over his neck; his quick reflexes ensured that he caught her… allowing her to kiss him again, deeply. Her fingers tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck; her body was tight to his, making him hyper-aware of every curve pressed against him.

When they parted this time, Seiji’s face was flushed. He looked at Yuuna with no small amount of surprise.

“Uh… Yeah. So, now you have a boyfriend.”

“You’re awful. Teasing a girl like that after her first kiss.” Yuuna shook her head, nuzzling his neck. 

“That tickles.”

“Should I stop?” Yuuna continued, taking in the scent of his cologne, mixed with the slightly smoky scent of the fireworks in the air.

“No.” Seiji hugged her. “Never…”

After a few more moments of indulgence, Yuuna sighed. “I wonder what we should tell the others?”

“Hm. Might have to figure that out pretty quickly, actually.” Seiji said. He nodded over the side of the guard rail, at the path crossing below them.

Yuuna blinked. She looked where he indicated; her blue eyes became saucers as she saw what Seiji meant.

Valerie waved up at the pair from down below. She grinned crookedly. “Hey, Yuu-chan~! Don’t mind us. We’re just down here enjoying the _fireworks_.”

Mayu was looking away respectfully; Shou held up a paper fan with a hastily scrawled ‘10/10’ on it before Kaori snatched it away from him. Her face was as red as her hair.

“SEIJI! If you’re going to do… .... _that_ to Yuuna, at least have the decency to get away from the rail!”

“Or have the decency to step into the light a little more!” Valerie crowed. “I mean, we missed most of the first one because they hadn’t started firing the bigger fireworks yet. You owe me a play-by-play, Yuu-chan. Too much tongue? Not enough? The audience wants to know--Ow!”

“STOP BEING A PERVERT!” Kaori held Valerie by the ear. She glared up at Seiji, waving her other hand threateningly. “And don’t think you’re getting out of this treatment either, Seiji! Really, you should know better. I don’t know how things are in America, but this is a public place, and you…”

Yuuna startled as Seiji leaned in again.

“! M-maki-san, what are…”

“Oh, hey, hey! He’s doing it again! Someone take pictures…!”

Seiji moved past Yuuna’s lips, instead whispering in her ear. “Run on 3?”

Yuuna grinned. “One…”

“Two…” Seiji tensed.

“Three!”

The pair of them spun, taking off in a fit of laughter to the surprised yells of their friends. The trip was over, but the summer - and their romance - was just beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, right?
> 
> Finally they get together; finally I update this; finally I write SOMETHING again.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Apologies to people who are waiting for my P5 stuff. It's coming, I promise. Have draft maybe 40-50% of the way there for next chapter of Hands and the Heart.
> 
> To properly reference things, festival scenes inspired by Aokana/Asuka route. FC/Grav shoes, obviously Aokana reference again.


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